Clinical features and assessments obtained using the ADI-R, ADOS, CARS and PEP-3 diagnostic scales.

̂<p>ne: not evaluated.</p>*<p>ASS: Autism Severity Score.</p>1<p>: Communication;</p>2<p>: Motor;</p>3<p>: Maladaptative behaviors.</p

Demographic information for the ASD and control cohorts.

<p>Demographic information for the ASD and control cohorts.</p

Relative HERV-H, W and K expression in ASD patients and healthy controls.

<p>Data obtained in fresh PBMCs (T₀) and after <i>in vitro</i> stimulation (T₇₂) of ASD patients and healthy controls are represented as box plot. ASD patients show higher levels of HERV-H (panel A) both at T₀ and after <i>in vitro</i> stimulation in comparison to healthy controls. Conversely, HERV-W (panel B) expression is higher in healthy controls than in ASD patients, both at T₀ and after <i>in vitro</i> stimulation. Significant differences between groups are shown. HERV-K (panel C) expression levels were similar in ASDs compared to HCs in both conditions, and significant differences were achieved only inside control group. Relative env gene expression levels were analyzed by Real-time PCR and represented by 2^−ΔΔCt in logarithmic scale.</p

Quantitative evaluation of HERV-H expression in individual ASD patients and healthy controls.

<p>Comparative analysis of expression levels in individual ASD patients (panel A) shows that <i>in vitro</i> stimulation of PBMCs induces HERV-H expression increase in the patients with low levels at T₀. Conversely, <i>in vitro</i> stimulation does not modify HERV-H levels in individual HC (panel B). <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048831#s3" target="_blank">Results</a> obtained by Real time PCR are represented as 2^−ΔΔCT in logarithmic scale. Red dashed line identifies values 2^−ΔΔCT>10.</p

Percentage of positive samples for expression of HERV families in cultured PBMCs from ASD and HC groups.

a<p>RT-PCR analysis of PBMCs at time 0 after withdrawal.</p>b<p>RT-PCR analysis of PBMCs after 72 hours of stimulation in culture.</p>c<p>RT-PCR analysis of PBMCs at T₀ and T₇₂.</p>d<p>No statistics are computed.</p><p>In parentheses the number of positive samples over the total (28).</p

Quantitative evaluation of HERV-W expression in individual ASD patients and healthy controls.

<p>No significant differences in expression levels of individual ASD patients (panel A) and healthy control (panel B) after <i>in vitro</i> stimulation are observed. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048831#s3" target="_blank">Results</a> obtained by Real time PCR are represented as 2^−ΔΔCT>10 in logarithmic scale. Red dashed line identifies values 2^−ΔΔCT>10.</p