The Metallome as a Link Between the Omes in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Overview

This Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience mini-review by Stanton, Malijauskaite, McGourty, and Grabrucker (University of Limerick) frames metal dyshomeostasis as a candidate connecting axis between the proteome, transcriptome, epigenome, and microbiome in autism spectrum disorders. The paper argues that metallomics studies have historically been conducted in isolation from the other omics layers, and that integrating trace-metal composition data with proteomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and microbiome data may explain ASD pathologies that any single layer cannot. The review covers Cu, Zn, Fe in essential-metal dyshomeostasis as well as Pb, Cd, Hg, and Al as toxic metals with documented associations to neurodevelopmental outcomes, with attention to the gut-brain axis and to maternal-fetal exposure pathways.

Key conclusions

Metal dyshomeostasis in ASD is reviewed across both essential-metal deficiencies (Zn, Fe — the metallothionein-zinc system is highlighted) and toxic-metal accumulations (Pb, Cd, Hg, Al). The authors emphasize that no single metal explains ASD risk and that the metallome-omics integration is needed to explain individual pathology profiles. The review references the broader heavy-metal-and-neurodevelopment literature (Pb intelligence quotient effects, MeHg developmental neurotoxicity, prenatal Hg exposure) and the emerging gut-microbiome connection (microbiome dysbiosis is documented in ASD and the metals-microbiome interaction may be a contributing factor).

Implications

• Certification: Background context for the developmental-neurotoxicity case for tight HMTc thresholds in IandC products. The metallome-multi-omics framing reinforces that “safe” total-metal limits are inadequate when individual metabolic and microbiome differences modulate response.
• Microbiome: Crosswalk to WikiBiome for the metals-microbiome-neurodevelopment axis. The review is mini-format and not the primary source for any specific quantitative claim, but it positions the integrated framing.
• Courses: Useful for teaching the omics-integration framing in environmental health.

Wiki pages updated on ingest

• Lead
• Cadmium
• Mercury
• Aluminum
• metals-neurodevelopment-axis

Update history

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