{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T00:28:46Z","timestamp":1790555326965,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755820800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pediatr."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study intended to explore the levels of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> and 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and analyzed the correlation between 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>, 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> levels and ASD core symptoms, children development.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A total of 208 children with ASD who were diagnosed in hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected as the ASD group. 208 children for routine physical examination were selected as the control group. The contents of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> and 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> in serum were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS\/MS) method. The ASD group were assessed by Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Gesell Development Schedule (GDS). Meanwhile, the correlations between the levels of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>, 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> and ABC, CARS, GDS in ASD children were analyzed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The serum levels of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> and 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> in the blood of the children in the ASD group were significantly lower than those in the control group (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.050). There was no significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> levels and ABC, CARS, in children with ASD (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009<jats:italic>&amp;gt;<\/jats:italic>\u20090.050). However, there were lower 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> levels were associated with more severe ASD symptoms (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.050). The higher level of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> was significantly correlated with lower adaptive behavior and personal-social of GDS (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.050). The higher level of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> was significantly correlated with higher adaptive behavior, fine motor and personal-social of GDS (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.050).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title><jats:p>The levels of 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> and 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> in ASD children were significantly lower than those in healthy children. Besides, the study identified distinct roles for vitamin D isoforms including 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> and 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> in ASD pathophysiology. 25(OH)D<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub> showed selective impairments in adaptive behavior and personal-social behavior. 25(OH)D<jats:sub>3<\/jats:sub> exhibited strong inverse correlations with symptom severity and positive associations with adaptive\/fine motor\/personal-social.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2025.1622439","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T13:19:45Z","timestamp":1755868785000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Relationship between 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3 and core symptoms in autism spectrum disorder"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Liu","family":"Jia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Du","family":"Hongfei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhao","family":"Deyun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1093\/pch\/pxz119","article-title":"Early detection for autism spectrum disorder in young children","volume":"24","author":"Zwaigenbaum","year":"2019","journal-title":"Paed Child Healt-Can"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.7202\/1058610ar","article-title":"Estimating the prevalence and incidence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD): interprovincial comparisons","volume":"43","author":"Diallo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sante Ment Que"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"884","DOI":"10.1177\/13623613241290388","article-title":"Prevalence, incidence, and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among children in Beijing, China","volume":"29","author":"Zhao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Autism"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"E276","DOI":"10.9778\/cmajo.20140056","article-title":"Incidence and cohort prevalence for autism spectrum disorders in the avalon peninsula, newfoundland and labrador","volume":"3","author":"Pelly","year":"2015","journal-title":"CMAJ Open"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106718","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsbmb.2025.106718","article-title":"Differences in the absorption and metabolism of vitamin D2, vitamin D3, and 25 hydroxyvitamin D","volume":"249","author":"Fleet","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"748","DOI":"10.20945\/2359-3997000000565","article-title":"Vitamin D metabolism and extraskeletal outcomes: an update","volume":"66","author":"Silva","year":"2022","journal-title":"Arch Endocrin Metab"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"750","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mehy.2007.08.016","article-title":"Autism and vitamin D","volume":"70","author":"Cannell","year":"2008","journal-title":"Med Hypotheses"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.9758\/cpn.2020.18.2.203","article-title":"Vitamin D supplementation is beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis","volume":"18","author":"Song","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin Psychopharm Neu"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.12652","article-title":"Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder","volume":"59","author":"Saad","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Child Psychol Psyc"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5831","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2019-00207","article-title":"Differential effects of oral boluses of vitamin D2 vs vitamin D3 on vitamin D metabolism: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"104","author":"Martineau","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1942","DOI":"10.1021\/ac9026862","article-title":"Development of a candidate reference measurement procedure for the determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 in human serum using isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry","volume":"82","author":"Tai","year":"2010","journal-title":"Anal Chem"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2054","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-016-2734-4","article-title":"Autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5: diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in early childhood","volume":"46","author":"Christiansz","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1278","DOI":"10.11852\/zgetbjzz2015-23-12-14","article-title":"The influence of the fifth edition of the American diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders on the diagnosis and treatment of childhood autism spectrum disorders","volume":"23","author":"You","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chin J Child Health Care"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"659","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02172145","article-title":"Autism diagnostic interview revised: a revised version of diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders","volume":"24","author":"Lord","year":"1994","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02211820","article-title":"An evaluation of the autism behavior checklist","volume":"18","author":"Volkmar","year":"1988","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02408436","article-title":"Toward objective classification of childhood autism: childhood autism rating scale (CARS)","volume":"10","author":"Schopler","year":"1980","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1111\/ped.12770","article-title":"Factor structure of the childhood autism rating scale as per DSM-5","volume":"58","author":"Park","year":"2016","journal-title":"Pediatr Int"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.7499\/j.issn.1008-8830.2015.01.015","article-title":"Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in children with autism spectrum disorders","volume":"17","author":"Du","year":"2015","journal-title":"Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"584","DOI":"10.1177\/1362361318756787","article-title":"Prospective cohort study of vitamin D and autism spectrum disorder diagnoses in early childhood","volume":"23","author":"Ali","year":"2019","journal-title":"Autism"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106965","DOI":"10.1016\/j.phrs.2023.106965","article-title":"Blood exosome sensing via neuronal insulin-like growth factor-1 regulates autism-related phenotypes","volume":"197","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pharmacol Res"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5039","DOI":"10.1007\/s12035-024-04582-x","article-title":"MicroRNAs as regulators, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets in autism Spectrum disorder","volume":"62","author":"Yao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Mol Neurobiol"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.16835\/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025054","article-title":"Research progress on the pathogenesis of vitamin D in autism spectrum disorders","volume":"2","author":"Liu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Chin Jsch Health"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2018.10.102","article-title":"Role of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) in oral cancer","volume":"109","author":"Fathi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biomed Pharmacother"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"E447","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2010-2230","article-title":"Vitamin D3 is more potent than vitamin D2 in humans","volume":"96","author":"Heaney","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Clin Endocr Metab"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3328","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13103328","article-title":"Relative efficacy of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 in improving vitamin D status: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Balachandar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.3945\/ajcn.116.138693","article-title":"Daily supplementation with 15\u2005\u03bcg vitamin D2 compared with vitamin D3 to increase wintertime 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in healthy south Asian and white European women: a 12-wk randomized, placebo-controlled food-fortification trial","volume":"106","author":"Tripkovic","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am J Clin Nutr"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Pediatrics"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1622439\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T13:19:49Z","timestamp":1755868789000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1622439\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]]},"references-count":26,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fped.2025.1622439"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1622439","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2360"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2360","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]]},"article-number":"1622439"}}