20.500.12556/DiRROS-28958 Urinary porphyrin profiles and trace element imbalances in children with autism spectrum disorders insights into environmental and metabolic biomarkers Porphyrins are intermediates in heme biosynthesis and have been proposed as biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction and environmental exposure in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to evaluate urinary porphyrin fractions and trace element ratios in children with ASD compared to neurotypical controls. Urinary porphyrins were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and trace elements were measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) normalized to urinary creatinine. Trace element ratios (e.g., Zn/Cu, Se/Pb) were calculated. Statistical comparisons were made using the Mann–Whitney U-test. Children with ASD showed significantly elevated urinary levels of coproporphyrin (median: 1.94 µg/g creatinine vs. 1.32 in controls; p = 0.02) and pentacarboxyporphyrin (0.86 vs. 0.57; p = 0.01), and reduced hexacarboxyporphyrin (0.12 vs. 0.23; p = 0.03). Lead (Pb) levels were significantly higher in ASD (median: 1.96 µg/g creatinine vs. 0.82; p = 0.004), while mercury (Hg) was not significantly different. Several trace element ratios differed significantly: Zn/Cu (ASD 41.9 vs. controls 49.1; p = 0.021), Se/Pb (12.9 vs. 25.7; p = 0.002), Cu/Se (0.49 vs. 0.38; p = 0.008), and Zn/Pb (19.5 vs. 44.8; p = 0.002). The Hg/Se ratio did not differ significantly.: Children with ASD demonstrate altered porphyrin profiles and trace element imbalances, including increased Pb and disrupted Zn/Cu and Se/Pb ratios, indicating oxidative stress and impaired detoxification. Combined assessment of porphyrins and trace element ratios may provide valuable non-invasive biomarkers for environmental and metabolic disturbances in ASD. autism spectrum disorder porphyrins lead heme biosynthesis environmental toxicants biomarkers trace elements ICP-MS porfirini svinec biosinteza hema okoljski toksini biomarkerji elementi v sledovih ICP-MS true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2026-04-14 14:54:18 2026-04-14 14:54:19 2026-04-15 03:57:41 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 17. 11. 2025; 18 str. iss. 21, [article no.] 10478 Vol. 26 Sep. 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 616.896 1422-0067 10.3390/ijms262110478 257424643 RAZ_Osredkar_Josko_2025.pdf RAZ_Osredkar_Josko_2025.pdf 1 D20268196655EA935DC30AC84F34EB06 a8ae7dec0839daf362b7c9543a3356dc23dfbc5b07efef4e6e57737e52d472ba 24996b63-3801-11f1-9cc3-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=43201 https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/21/10478 1 0eed8296-3801-11f1-9cc3-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=43200 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0