Maternal autoantibody-related autism-specific autoantibody (MARA autoantibody)

Maternal autoantibody-related autism (MARA) specific autoantibodies are a group of IgG antibodies found in the plasma of some pregnant women that cross the placenta and react with specific proteins in the developing fetal brain (Braunschweig et al., 2013, Translational Psychiatry). These target proteins include Collapsin Response Mediator Proteins 1 and 2 (CRMP1, CRMP2), Stress-Induced Phosphoprotein 1 (STIP1), Guanine Deaminase (GDA), Y-Box Binding Protein 1 (YBX1), and Lactate Dehydrogenase A and B (LDHA, LDHB) (Ramirez-Celis et al., 2021, Molecular Psychiatry). When these autoantibodies bind to their cognate antigens during critical windows of neurodevelopment, they disrupt processes such as axonal outgrowth and neuronal migration, significantly increasing the risk of the child developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (UC Davis MIND Institute). As a therapeutic target, strategies focus on the identification and neutralization of these antibodies prior to or during pregnancy to prevent neurodevelopmental interference. Current research explores the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis, or specific peptide decoys to mitigate the pathological effects of these autoantibodies (PubMed, PMID: 33483618).

Other names

Maternal ASD-specific autoantibodiesFetal brain-reactive maternal autoantibodiesMARA antibodies

Neutralization or removal of pathogenic maternal IgG antibodies to prevent their transport across the placenta and subsequent binding to fetal brain antigens.