Altered cytokine profiles and elevated lactate levels in children with autism spectrum disorder: indications of a dysregulated immune-metabolic network?
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- 2Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universtität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- 3German Centre for Child and Adolescent Health (DZKJ), Partner Site Leipzig/Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- 4Department Psychologie, Fakultät Naturwissenschaften, Medical School Berlin (MSB), Berlin, Germany
Abstract
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behavior. The etiology and pathophysiology of ASD remain largely unknown; however, a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors is widely assumed. More recently, altered cytokine/chemokine profiles and a potential vulnerability to mitochondrial alterations have been proposed.
Methods: We measured blood lactate and pyruvate and quantified a cytokine/chemokine panel including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, IFN-β, RANTES, MCP-1/CCL2, MIP-1α/CCL3, MIP-1β/CCL4, CCL11/Eotaxin-1 and CXCL10/IP-10 in a group of autistic children in comparison to a non-autistic age-, gender- and IQ-matched control group.
Results: We observed elevated lactate levels, lower concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α in autistic- compared with control children. In addition, lactate, MIP-1β/CCL4 and TNF-α was significantly associated with behavioral measures of autistic behavior. Pyruvate, the lactate/pyruvate ratio and all other analytes did not differ between groups.
Discussion: We conclude that the observed cytokine/chemokine profile may reflect a dysregulated immunological network in autistic children. Elevated lactate may point to metabolic abnormalities with possible mitochondrial involvement. However, unchanged pyruvate and lactate/pyruvate ratio do not support overt mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings require replication in larger studies.
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BibTeX
@article{beyer2026altered,
title = {{Altered cytokine profiles and elevated lactate levels in children with autism spectrum disorder: indications of a dysregulated immune-metabolic network?}},
author = {Nicole Beyer and Theresia Volk and Hella Luksch and Melanie Ring and Nora C. Vetter and Angela Roesen-Wolff and Min Ae Lee-Kirsch and Veit Roessner},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1904470},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1904470},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Altered cytokine profiles and elevated lactate levels in children with autism spectrum disorder: indications of a dysregulated immune-metabolic network?
AU - Nicole Beyer
AU - Theresia Volk
AU - Hella Luksch
AU - Melanie Ring
AU - Nora C. Vetter
AU - Angela Roesen-Wolff
AU - Min Ae Lee-Kirsch
AU - Veit Roessner
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry
DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1904470
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1904470
AB - Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behavior. The etiology and pathophysiology of ASD remain largely unknown; however, a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors is widely assumed. More recently, altered cytokine/chemokine profiles and a potential vulnerability to mitochondrial alterations have been proposed. Methods: We measured blood lactate and pyruvate and quantified a cytokine/chemokine panel including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, IFN-β, RANTES, MCP-1/CCL2, MIP-1α/CCL3, MIP-1β/CCL4, CCL11/Eotaxin-1 and CXCL10/IP-10 in a group of autistic children in comparison to a non-autistic age-, gender- and IQ-matched control group. Results: We observed elevated lactate levels, lower concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α in autistic- compared with control children. In addition, lactate, MIP-1β/CCL4 and TNF-α was significantly associated with behavioral measures of autistic behavior. Pyruvate, the lactate/pyruvate ratio and all other analytes did not differ between groups. Discussion: We conclude that the observed cytokine/chemokine profile may reflect a dysregulated immunological network in autistic children. Elevated lactate may point to metabolic abnormalities with possible mitochondrial involvement. However, unchanged pyruvate and lactate/pyruvate ratio do not support overt mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings require replication in larger studies.
SN - 1664-0640
ER -