RNA sequencing of identical twins discordant for autism reveals blood-based signatures implicating immune and transcriptional dysregulation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A gap exists in our mechanistic understanding of how genetic and environmental risk factors converge at the molecular level to result in the emergence of autism symptoms. We compared blood-based gene expression signatures in identical twins concordant and discordant for autism spectrum condition (ASC) to differentiate genetic and environmentally driven transcription differences, and establish convergent evidence for biological mechanisms involved in ASC.

Methods

Genome-wide gene expression data were generated using RNA-seq on whole blood samples taken from 16 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins and seven twin pair members (39 individuals in total), who had been assessed for ASC and autism traits at age 12. Differential expression (DE) analyses were performed between (

SUBMITTER: Saffari A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6839145 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature