On Fri, 30 May 1997, Andrew S. Bonci, BA, DC, DAAPM wrote:

I'm going to continue picking your brain, Andrew, if you don't
mind.  I am always looking for connections to autism, and you
have dropped some interesting clues...


> Food allergy is real.  Foreign proteins can wreak havoc on your immune
> system, however, the gut reations to foreign protein should be rather
> telltale.

Such as diarrhea, for example?  My son Dylan gets diarrhea for a
few days every two weeks or so.  I can't figure it out, and can't
even get the doctor interested in it.

> I'll have to look this up.  I am unaware of LA down regulating D6D
> activity.  I believe D6D is an allosteric enzyme where the the
> concentration of the products of D6D might reduce its activity.
> However, my question with this is suppression of D6D prevent LA
> conversion to GLA and, although this would mean a reduction of
> endogenous AA production it also means a reduction of de novo synthesis
> of series 1 eicosanoids.  Recall that GLA is the converted to DGLA which
> is converted by the enzyme cyclooxygenase into PGE1.  PGE1 is very
> necessary for healthy muscosa, et al.

Very interesting.  You may not be aware that a large percentage
of people with autism are low in an enzyme called
phenolsulfotransferase (PST), which in turn plays a role (I don't
understand this part) in maintaining the lining of the gut.  So,
low PST leads to leaky gut.  This in turn leads to undigested
proteins getting into the system to cause other problems.  The
fact that PGE1 plays a role here is another reason to think
carefully about macronutrient manipulation.  I have also heard
that glucosamine sulfate, currently popular for arthritis, helps
in the formation of mucopolysaccarides for healthy mucosa.

And I have recently read that many autistic people have quite
elevated levels of arachidonic acid.  All this leaves me thinking
very hard about the links between AA, food allergy, leaky gut,
and autism.

> The GLA in EPO is readily converted to DGLA by an elongase.  As levels
> of DGLA build it competes with AA for cyclooxygenase (CO). CO converts
> AA to PGE2 while CO also converts DGLA to PGE1.  PGE2 is inflammatory
> while PGE1 is non inflammatory.  However, this is not my main concern.
> LA, AA and other n-6 FA are readily incorporated in the cell membranes
> of immune cells.  This conveys "fluidity" to the cells' membranes.
> However it also gives these cells a HUGH supply of proinflammatory
> precursors.  Precursors which I doubt where available in such quantities
> for the hunter-gatherer who did not have the means to manufacture the
> vegetable oils we do.

In addition to low-carb diet (very hard to implement for a
child), what else would help to tip the scale toward PGE1?  I
have read that sesame oil downregulates D5D, but in both n-6 and
n-3 series FA, so that may not be a winner.

Todd Moody
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