RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Decreased Numbers of CD57+CD3 Cells Identify Potential Innate Immune Differences in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder JF In Vivo JO In Vivo FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 83 OP 89 VO 30 IS 2 A1 DARIO SINISCALCO A1 TATJANA MIJATOVIC A1 EUGENE BOSMANS A1 ALESSANDRA CIRILLO A1 PETER KRUZLIAK A1 VINCENT C. LOMBARDI A1 KENNY DE MEIRLEIR A1 NICOLA ANTONUCCI YR 2016 UL http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/30/2/83.abstract AB Background/Aim: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex, and severe heterogeneous neurodevelopmental pathologies with accepted but complex immune system abnormalities. Additional knowledge regarding potential immune dysfunctions may provide a greater understanding of this malady. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CD57+CD3− mature lymphocyte subpopulation of natural killer cells as a marker of immune dysfunction in ASD. Materials and Methods: Three-color flow cytometry-based analysis of fresh peripheral blood samples from children with autism was utilized to measure CD57+CD3− lymphocytes. Results. A reduction of CD57+CD3− lymphocyte count was recorded in a significant number of patients with autism. Discussion and conclusion: We demonstrated that the number of peripheral CD57+CD3− cells in children with autism often falls below the clinically accepted normal range. This implies that a defect in the counter-regulatory functions necessary for balancing pro-inflammatory cytokines exists, thus opening the way to chronic inflammatory conditions associated with ASD.