– Published in the Journal of Advanced Research (Impact Factor 12)
… New secrets about autism and its causes have been revealed by a recent study published in the Journal of Advanced Research (Impact Factor 12), marking a significant step in the field of autism research.
The study, conducted by researchers from the Proteomics and Metabolomics Department at Hospital 57357, found strong evidence that changes in the production of proteins secreted by gut bacteria play a major role in influencing autism and its related health problems.
Dr. Sameh Magd El-Din, Head of the Proteomics and Metabolomics Unit and supervisor of the study, says that the study was part of a master’s thesis by Dr. Aya Osama, a researcher at the unit. Its importance lies in the fact that it introduced a new method that has not been previously applied in measuring the proteins secreted by bacteria in the intestines (metaproteomics). This method relies on the application of modern methods in the field of bioinformatics to process data from a mass spectrometer, giving accurate results for measuring the proportion of these proteins. The study also proved with strong evidence that children with autism have an increase in the production of some proteins and small molecules that were not previously known.
· This research, as per Dr. Sameh Magd El-Din, is the nucleus for treating autism by targeting proteins and small molecules, and working to reduce their increase, which is an important step towards developing drugs or developing protocols for treating autism.
· This research is an important step in autism research for several reasons, the most important of which is that it showed a close link between autism and the type of food. We found that some foods contribute to the activity of bacterial secretions, which could be the beginning of developing nutritional protocols that contribute to reducing autism symptoms. These results can be used in the treatment of cancer patients with autism at Hospital 57357, especially cancer patients who suffer from autism.
· This research is also the first global research that introduces a method to link types of bacteria with their secretions of proteins and small molecules in a complex laboratory method that combines omics sciences (genomics, metaproteomics and metabolomics).
· The experiments of this research were carried out in the Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory at Hospital 57357, which is the only laboratory in Egypt that has ISO 17025 certification in measuring some proteins and small molecules using mass spectrometry. It is also a leading laboratory in introducing a new field called metaproteomics (the study of proteins secreted by bacteria in the intestines).
The laboratory can adapt the technology for use in studying other diseases such as some types of cancer, namely leukemia, bone cancer and neuroblastoma.