Where does autism come from when it’s not genetic? One hypothesis suggests maternal viral infection could be a cause. But how does this work? Research from CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle and postdoc Irene Sanchez Martin offers possible answers. You may have read the story in the New York Post. Now, hear it from the researchers themselves At the Lab.
Read the related story: CSHL postdoc presents breakthrough autism findings
Transcript
Sam Diamond: You’re now At the Lab with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. My name is Sam Diamond, and this week At the Lab, “Products of an unseen environment.”
SD: All of us are, in a way, products of our environment. When you think about it, the younger you are, the smaller your environment is.
SD: Before life begins, the fetus’ environment is limited to the mother’s womb. Over the past two decades, research has shown that when a pregnant mouse is exposed to a virus, it may affect the future health of her pup. We know this from studying well-established animal models.
Lucas Cheadle: Specifically, a mouse model called the maternal immune activation model.
SD: That’s CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle. His lab is interested in the intersection of the brain and the immune system. Lately, they’ve begun to incorporate the maternal immune activation model into their research. But what does that mean, and how does it work?
LC: It’s not a genetic model. It’s an environmentally driven model that some use to study autism-like disorders. And the way it works is you activate the immune system of a pregnant mouse.
SD: Say, by injecting it with a virus.
LC: Right. And if you activate the immune system at the right time of gestation, the offspring have mouse versions of autism.
SD: What scientists don’t fully understand is the role immune cells play. That’s where Cheadle’s lab comes in.
SD: CSHL postdoc Irene Sanchez Martin has been interested in the immune system since she began her studies in veterinary medicine. Today, she’s looking at maternal immune activation in a new light.
Irene Sanchez Martin: The difference is in my work I check what happened 24 hours after treatment. We track what is happening in the placenta, all the membranes that surround the embryo, and the amniotic fluid. We’re trying to characterize what’s going on in the surrounding environment of the embryo in development.
SD: They’ve already spotted potential early warning signs of developmental deficits. Excitingly, they’re only seeing them in male embryos, which may speak to autism’s higher incidence among boys than girls. Ultimately, this research could point to prenatal care that helps protect a fetus from developmental disorders. It could also provide a better understanding of development itself.
SD: We know we’re products of our environment. Someday we may know when, where, why, and how our environment influences who we are.
SD: Thanks again for joining us At the Lab. Remember to hit subscribe and visit cshl.edu for more fascinating science stories like this one. For Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, I’m Sam Diamond, and I’ll see you next time At the Lab.