Detection of H2S using a novel fluorescent nanoprobe in plasma and tissue samples from ASD patients and model mice

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exerts its protective role in a variety of neurological diseases, but the related mechanisms of H2S in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain unclear. Toward a better understanding of the physiological role of H2S in ASD patients and mice, we designed a novel H2S detection fluorescent nanoprobe DNS-Az-M by encapsulating DNS-Az into an amphiphilic block copolymer DSPE-PEG2000. DNS-Az-M not only disperses well in aqueous solution and exhibits non-toxicity, but also achieves quantitative detection of H2S contents in biological samples of ASD patients and mice. We first found that the plasma H2S concentration in children with ASD was 12.14 +/- 5.03 mM through DNS-Az-M detection, which is remarkably lower than that in children without ASD (17.08 +/- 5.85 mM). The same phenomenon was observed in the ASD model BTBR mice. Furthermore, western blot and RT-PCR examination of BTBR mice hippocampus clearly revealed that CBS protein and CBS mRNA, as a key enzyme for H2S synthesis, had lower expression than that of B6 mice. This research provides a basis for the pathogenesis of ASD and outlines a promising strategy for targeted treatment of ASD.

Automated summary

A novel H2S detection fluorescent nanoprobe DNS-Az-M was designed to achieve quantitative detection of H2S contents in biological samples of ASD patients and mice. The study found that plasma H2S concentration in children with ASD was significantly lower than that in children without ASD, and the same phenomenon was observed in the ASD model BTBR mice. This research provides a basis for the pathogenesis of ASD and outlines a promising strategy for targeted treatment of ASD.