Abstract
INTRODUCTION: USP9X has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders due to its role in synaptic development and neural function. This study aimed to compare USP9X and TGF-β levels in children with autism and healthy controls, and explore their relationship with autism severity. METHODS: Serum USP9X and TGF-β levels were measured in 41 healthy control children (aged 3-12 years) and 41 children with autism. RESULTS: Our study revealed a significant increase in USP9X levels (p=0.001) among children with autism compared to controls. However, TGF-β levels showed no significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between difficulty in making eye contact subscale and blood levels of both USP9X and TGF-β. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to compare serum USP9X levels in children with autism to healthy controls. Our findings suggest USP9X's potential role in autism development, emphasizing the need for further research on its involvement in neurodevelopmental processes.