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Frederick L Crane,1 Hans Löw,2 Iris Sun,1 Placido Navas,3 Anna Gvozdjáková41Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; 2Department of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; 3Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain; 4Pharmacobiochemical Laboratory of Third Medical Department, Medical Faculty, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, SlovakiaBackground: The Voltage Dependent Anion Channel (VDAC) is involved in control of autism. Treatments, including coenzyme Q, have had some success on autism control.Data sources: Correlation of porin redox activity and expression of autism is based on extensive literature, especially studies of antibodies, identification of cytosolic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH) dehydrogenase activity in the VDAC, and evidence for extreme sensitivity of the dehydrogenase to a mercurial. Evidence for a coenzyme Q requirement came from extraction and analog inhibition of NADH ferricyanide reductase in the erythrocyte plasma membrane, done in 1994, and reinterpreted when it was identified in VDAC in 2004. The effects of ubiquinol (the QH2 – reduced form of coenzyme Q) in children with autism were studied.Results: A new role for coenzyme Q in the porin channels has implications on autism. Ubiquinol, the more active form of coenzyme Q, produces favorable response in children with autism. Agents which affected electron transport in porin show parallel effects in autism.Conclusion: We propose a hypothesis that autism is controlled by a coenzyme Q-dependent redox system in the porin channels; this conclusion is based on the effects of agents that positively or negatively affect electron transport and the symptoms of autism. The full understanding of the mechanism of their control needs to be established.Keywords: porin, channel, oxidation, reduction, autism

The efficiency of six different methods available for topographical diagnosis of primary al-dosteronism was analysed in retrospect from 11 surgically verified cases and by an analysis of 360 cases reported in the literature. Differentiation between hyperplasia and adenoma was most safely predicted by monitoring the diurnal rhythm of plasma aldo-sterone and its reaction to posture. Adrenal vein catheterization with aldosterone determinations was helpful in establishing the presence of hyperplasia in approximately 70 % of these cases. Correct localization of aldosterone-producing adenomas was made in more than 90% by vein catheterization while veno-graphy and radio-cholesterol scintigraphy had lower diagnostic accuracy. It is therefore suggested that determination of plasma aldosterone both by vein catheterization and by peripheral monitoring should be used ahead of other diagnostic procedures for topographical examinations in primary aldoste-ronism.

Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts can be weakly stimulated to grow by bombesin, epidermal growth factor or ceruloplasmin when cells are maintained in Dulbecco's Modified Essential Medium (DMEM), the pH of which is 7.75. Addition of insulin synergizes with the other mitogens. However, only ceruloplasmin promotes DNA synthesis in Minimum Essential Medium (MEM). The pH in this medium is 7.0. All the other growth factors synergize with the ceruloplasmin effects, but such synergism is not evident with insulin. If the pH in MEM is increased to 7.25 or 7.75 by supplementation with HEPES or NaHCO3, respectively, the results are similar to those found in DMEM. Since the oxidation of iron is increased at alkaline pH, the reoxidation of iron at the cell surface may facilitate growth at alkaline pH. We propose that iron reoxidation is limiting for cell growth and that part of the ceruloplasmin effect is mediated by its action as a terminal oxidase for ferrous iron on the cell surface. Observations consistent with this explanation include: 1) combinations of insulin with bombesin or epidermal growth factors do not promote cell proliferation at pH 7.0; 2) fetal calf serum, which has ferroxidase activity, and ceruloplasmin plus or minus other growth factors stimulate cell proliferation at pH 7.0; and 3) alkaline pH also restores the mitogenic effect of growth factors.