We further show that serum from young autistic patients contains mtDNA (n = 20; cytochrome B, p = 0.0002 and 7S, p = 0.006), and anti-mitochondrial antibody Type 2 (n = 14; p = 0.001) as compared ...

For instance, mtDNA (or other extracellular mitochondrial components not measured in this study) could activate TLRs on immune or glial cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 ...