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Free light chains of immunoglobulins in amyloidosis.

Monomeric (M) and dimeric (D) forms of free light chains in serum have been measured by a sensitive radioimmunoassay in eight patients with amyloidosis without monoclonal proteins. Significantly elevated concentrations of D lambda chains were demonstrated in two of four patients with localized amyloidosis. The two patients had a significantly increased D/M ratio of both kappa and lambda chains. One patient had localized amyloidosis and normal concentration of monomeric and dimeric light chains had an abnormal fragment of light chains. A low kappa/lambda ratio was found in patients with localized amyloidosis. Four patients with secondary amyloidosis and renal insufficiency had increased amounts of free light chains. The concentration of light chains and the D/M ratio in this group corresponded to the impairment of renal function.

Amyloidosis↗

Macular amyloidosis: etiological factors.

Macular amyloidosis is the commonest form of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis; its etiology remains unclear. Various incriminating factors include genetics, sunlight, and friction. Seventy-five patients with a clinical diagnosis of macular amyloidosis (confirmed by at least two observers) were enrolled in the study. A detailed history was elicited in relation to the etiological factors and followed by cutaneous examination. Skin biopsy was performed in 44 patients. Amyloid deposits were demonstrated in 21 (48%) of the biopsies. The female to male ratio was over 3:1. Patients with skin type V had a more delayed onset than those with skin types III and IV. Two patients gave histories of regularly subjecting their skin to friction. There was no correlation between the sites affected and the sites subjected to friction, hair style of the patient, or the use of cosmetics. Family history was present in 7 (9.3%) patients. A majority, 44 (58.7%) of the patients, had involvement of both sun-exposed and sun-protected sites. To conclude, there was no direct correlation between macular amyloidosis and atopy, sunlight, or friction to the skin in our patients. Multiple factors may play a collective role in the genesis of macular amyloidosis to variable degrees. These include racial, familial, and environmental factors, atopy, sunlight, friction, and female gender.

Adolescent↗

Cutis laxa in hereditary gelsolin amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary gelsolin amyloidosis (AGel amyloidosis) is an age-associated systemic disease with global distribution, caused by a G654A or G654T gelsolin gene mutation. Cutis laxa is a principal clinical manifestation of this disease. However, only few data on the dermatological involvement are available, and the pathogenesis of this amyloidosis-associated form of cutis laxa has remained unknown. OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the pathomechanism of this less well-known genodermatosis. METHODS: We performed systematic clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural skin biopsy studies in 12 patients with a G654A gelsolin gene mutation. For comparison, skin specimens from 10 control subjects were analysed. RESULTS: All patients had clinically characteristic cutis laxa, and frequently other signs of symptomatic skin disease such as increased fragility and risk for intracutaneous bleeding. All patients showed cutaneous deposition of gelsolin amyloid (AGel), mainly attached to basement membranes or basal laminae of various cutaneous structures, dermal nerves and blood vessel walls, and elastic fibres, particularly in the lower reticular dermis. AGel often encircled the elastic fibres, and colocalized with amyloid P component (AP), an elastic fibre microfibrillar sheath-associated protein. Fragmentation and loss of elastic fibres, epidermal atrophy, and reduction of dermal appendages were also common. Antibodies to wild-type gelsolin bound to S-100-positive epidermal dendritic cells, a previously unrecognized immunoreaction. Patients had fewer gelsolin-positive dendritic cells than controls. CONCLUSIONS: Widespread skin involvement with AGel deposition and elastic fibre involvement are essential pathological features in AGel amyloidosis, and contribute to the characteristic cutis laxa, dramatic in old age. Codistribution of AGel and AP, with demonstrated specific binding affinity for amyloid fibrils, suggests that elastic fibre-associated AP acts as a matrix for cutaneous amyloid deposition in AGel amyloidosis.

Adult↗

Outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation for AL amyloidosis in the UK.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) is widely used as a treatment for systemic AL amyloidosis, but its efficacy has not been proved and it has substantial toxicity in this setting. We report here the outcome of 92 patients evaluated at the UK National Amyloidosis Centre who underwent SCT for AL amyloidosis between 1994 and 2004 in various British centres. Median age was 53 years and median of two organs were affected by amyloidosis. All-cause day 100 mortality [treatment-related mortality (TRM)] was 23% for the entire cohort, although this was substantially greater for patients treated from 1994 to 1998 (15/47, 32%) than subsequently (6/45, 13%). Independent factors significantly associated with TRM on multivariate analysis were: number of affected organs, performance status, serum albumin and age. Response of the underlying clonal disease, defined by > or = 50% reduction in the aberrant serum-free light chain concentration, occurred in 83% of evaluable patients. Overall median survival was 5.3 years, and was 8.5 years among patients who survived beyond day 100. Despite recent refinements in patient selection, TRM remains substantial during SCT for systemic AL amyloidosis, and its place in the therapeutic armamentarium for this disease needs to be defined in randomised controlled clinical studies.

Aged↗

HLA-B27 in rheumatoid arthritis and amyloidosis.

To study the role of genetically determined immune responsiveness in the pathogenesis of systemic amyloidosis complicating rheumatoid arthritis the HLA antigens were identified in 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated by secondary amyloidosis, in 44 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and in 11 patients with secondary amyloidosis of non-rheumatoid origin. Subjects with ankylosing spondylitis, sacroiliitis without peripheral polyarthritis, Reiter's disease, reactive arthritis, erosive osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, systemic lupus erythematosus or arthritis associated with a gastrointestinal involvement were excluded from the study. Patients with amyloidosis secondary to rheumatoid arthritis had a high frequency of the HLA specificity B27 and of the haplotype likely to bear A2, B27. The association with B27 was closest in the group of male patients with amyloidosis whose rheumatoid arthritis had begun at an early age and who lacked demonstrable rheumatoid factor in serum. These patients may represent a genetically determined subentity of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗

An electron microscopical and histochemical study on ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced "F1 amyloidosis".

Of a total of 80 offspring obtained by reciprocal crossing of ICR/JCL strain of mice of both sexes receiving 84-140 injections of Fe-NTA over 98-163 days before crossing, 52 (65%) showed severe generalized amyloidosis after 93-502 injections of Fe-NTA over 115-522 days, but not "hemochromatosis", which was a striking contrast to the findings of "hemochromatosis" without amyloidosis observed in the parent mice. Electron microscopic examinations revealed numerous bundles of non-branching, well-oriented amyloid fibrils radiated outward from the surface of cytoplasmic invaginations of the Kupffer cells or splenic reticuloendothelial cells of the F1 mice with amyloidosis, and close contact frequently observed between "amyloid-forming cells" and adjacent lymphocytes in the amyloid-laden liver and spleen of the F1 mice. Since the above findings in the F1 mice were not found in the parent mice treated with multiple Fe-NTA injections, the present authors assumed that the immunological memory for the Fe-NTA conjugate transmitted via the placenta to the fetus from the mother that received multiple Fe-NTA injections might be involved in the development of generalized amyloidosis in the F1 mice, although the possible mechanism by which Fe-NTA-induced "F1 amyloidosis" has been developed remains yet undetermined.

Amyloidosis↗

Experimental study on secondary amyloidosis associated with chronic arthritis.

Various organs from rabbits immunized with heat-killed E. coli 0:14 to induce chronic polyarthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined for amyloid deposition since amyloidosis is a frequent feature of long-standing RA. Amyloids were confirmed mainly by polarizing as well as nonpolarizing light microscopy after Congo red staining and partly by electron microscopy and immunoperoxidase technique. Amyloid deposits after an additional 2 months from the first appearance of arthritis were most frequently found in the spleen and kidneys suggesting secondary amyloidosis. Amyloidosis was observed in 36% of 75 arthritic rabbits. The incidence of amyloidosis was significantly higher in the arthritic rabbits than in the non-arthritic rabbits (p less than 0.05). This suggests that prolonged sensitization with heat-killed E. coli 0:14 containing endotoxic substance participates in the formation of both arthritis and amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis↗

Primary localized amyloidosis of the ureter.

Localized amyloidosis of the ureter is a relatively rare condition. We report a case of primary localized ureteral amyloidosis. A 66-year-old man was referred to our hospital complaining of right flank pain and gross hematuria. From the right hydronephrosis and irregular margin of the right lower ureter seen on the anterograde pyelography, we could not rule out a right ureteral malignancy. Total nephroureterectomy was performed and histologic examination showed ureteral amyloidosis. Amyloid was classified immunohistochemically as Alambda type. After all examinations for secondary or systemic amyloidosis were negative, primary localized amyloidosis of the ureter was confirmed.

Aged↗

Familial generalized dyschromic amyloidosis cutis.

A generalized form of primary cutaneous amyloidosis was found in two siblings when microscopic examination was carried out on areas of scattered hypopigmentation. Multiple biopsies from different sites of the skin suggested that the pigmentary disorder was probably a process independent of the amyloidosis. One of the siblings died of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, congenital pulmonary stenosis and diabetes mellitus. Post mortem examination of the lungs showed the presence of few amyloid deposits in the diffusely fibrotic tissue, suggesting that these were secondary to the chronic pulmonary disease. Because of the absence of amyloid involvement in parenchymatous organs and the absence of cutaneous signs of systemic amyloidosis as macroglosia or petechiae, this case suggests that primary cutaneous amyloidosis is distinctly different from the cutaneous manifestation of primary systemic amyloidosis.

Adult↗

Organ transplantation in hereditary apolipoprotein AI amyloidosis.

Patients with hereditary apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) amyloidosis often have extensive visceral amyloid deposits, and many develop end-stage renal failure as young adults. Solid organ transplantation to replace failing organ function in systemic amyloidosis is controversial due to the multisystem and progressive nature of the disease and the risk of recurrence of amyloid in the graft. We report the outcome of solid organ transplantation, including dual transplants in 4 cases, among 10 patients with apoAI amyloidosis who were followed for a median (range) of 16 (4-28) and 9 (0.2-27) years from diagnosis of amyloidosis and transplantation, respectively. Eight of 10 patients were alive, seven with a functioning graft at censor. Two patients died, one of disseminated cytomegalovirus infection 2 months after renal transplantation and the other of multisystem failure following severe trauma more than 13 years after renal transplantation. The renal transplant of one patient failed due to recurrence of amyloid after 25 years. Amyloid disease progression was very slow and the natural history of the condition was favorably altered in both cases in which the liver was transplanted. Failing organs in hereditary apoAI amyloidosis should be replaced since graft survival is excellent and confers substantial survival benefit.

Adolescent↗

Behçet's disease associated with amyloidosis in Turkey and in the world.

The association of amyloidosis with Behçet's disease has infrequently been reported in published works. Twenty four such cases have been observed in the world, of which 12 are from Turkey, including eight of ours. In all our eight cases renal biopsy showed amyloidosis of type AA. Behçet's disease of male preponderance, long duration, complete type, multiple organ involvement, and positive skin pathergy test were the main characteristics of all 24 cases of Behçet's disease with amyloidosis. We conclude that amyloidosis associated with Behçet's disease is a secondary AA amyloidosis occurring as an intrinsic manifestation of Behçet's disease.

Amyloidosis↗

Cardiac amyloidosis: a review and report of a new transthyretin (prealbumin) variant.

Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by amyloid deposits derived from different human plasma proteins. It can lead to cardiac conduction disturbances, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and low output heart failure. The heart is variably involved during the development of systemic amyloidosis and seems to be more frequently affected in immunoglobulin (primary) than in reactive (secondary) amyloidosis. Amyloid is common in the elderly. Isolated atrial amyloid, for which a major subunit is the atrial natriuretic peptide, seems to be three times more frequent than senile cardiac amyloid, which is derived from normal prealbumin (transthyretin). Like polyneuropathy, cardiac amyloidosis is a prominent clinical feature of hereditary amyloidosis, namely of the autosomal dominant transthyretin (TTR) type. All 28 cases of TTR amyloidoses reported so far were heterozygotes for a single nucleotide change in the gene for TTR that resulted in amino acid substitutions in the mature protein. A new TTR genetic variant is reported in a German family where the index patient presented at the age of 63 with anginal pain and arrhythmia. Electrocardiography was suggestive of a pseudoinfarction pattern, and echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation showed signs of hypertrophic nonobstructive cardiomyopathy with increased ventricular filling pressures and a prominent "a" wave. Amyloid of the TTR type was identified by immunohistochemistry in the endomyocardial biopsy specimen. Hybrid isoelectric focusing established heterozygosity by showing normal TTR protein and an electrically neutral TTR variant differing from all known TTR variants so far. The patient died in an accident before investigations were complete. Electrophoretic analysis of the plasma from his first degree relatives (son, daughter, brother, and mother) identified the asymptomatic 22 year old son as an apparently heterozygous carrier of the mutant TTR protein. Comparative tryptic peptide mapping and sequencing showed that isoleucine at position 68 of the amino acid sequence was replaced by leucine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Monoclonality of infiltrating plasma cells in primary pulmonary nodular amyloidosis: detection with polymerase chain reaction.

AIMS: To investigate the relation between localised amyloidosis and immunocytic dyscrasia. METHODS: Open lung biopsy specimens from a 72 year old man with multiple nodules in the right middle and lower lung were stained with haematoxylin-eosin, Congo red, and antibodies against IgG, IgA, IgM, and kappa and lambda light chains. Semi-nested PCR amplification for the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene was performed using consensus primers for the VDJ region of the IgH gene, FR3A, LJH, and VLJH. RESULTS: The biopsy specimens contained eosinophilic amorphous material stained with Congro red and anti-kappa light chain, and surrounded by inflammatory cells intermingled with plasma cells. Plasma cells in the adjacent amorphous material showed cytoplasmic staining with anti-kappa. Polymerase chain reaction revealed a discrete amplified band of apparently uniform size with background smear. CONCLUSIONS: Primary AL type localised amyloidosis involves local accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells and their secreted products, as in nodular cutaneous amyloidosis. Localised AL type nodular amyloidosis is a separate entity in amyloidosis.

Aged↗

Pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma of MALT type as a cause of localised pulmonary amyloidosis.

AIM: To describe six patients with pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma in whom amyloid deposition was identified. Marginal zone lymphoma is a recently recognised type of low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. METHODS: A computerised search was performed of all patients seen at the Mayo Clinic with a diagnosis of pulmonary amyloidosis. Six patients with pulmonary amyloidosis who had biopsy confirmed extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue type were identified. All were women, ranging in age from 45 to 85 years. RESULTS: Five patients had amyloid deposition in conjunction with pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma at the time of the original diagnosis. One patient was referred for evaluation of localised pulmonary amyloidosis and was found to have coexisting pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma. Clinical presentation was limited to pulmonary symptoms (two of the six) or constitutional symptoms (two), or was asymptomatic (two). In all six cases, initial findings of nodular densities on screening chest roentgenograms led to further evaluation and eventual lobectomy; these findings included multiple pulmonary nodules (four), single nodule (one), and single nodule with diffuse bilateral interstitial infiltrates (one). Bone marrow was examined in five patients and was normal in all. Protein studies performed in four patients revealed no monoclonal protein. No patients had manifestations of systemic amyloidosis, such as renal, neurological, or cardiac involvement, at a median follow up of 50 months. Four of the six patients remain alive at a median of five years. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma may be found in association with localised amyloid deposition and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of localised pulmonary amyloidosis.

Aged↗

CT evaluation of amyloidosis: spectrum of disease.

Amyloidosis is a rare systemic disease caused by extracellular deposition of an insoluble protein. Although it is usually seen in a systemic form, 10%-20% of cases can be localized. Systemic amyloidosis is subclassified into an idiopathic primary form and a secondary or reactive form. Patients with primary amyloidosis have no underlying condition or disease. Men are affected more than women, and the mean age at presentation is 55-60 years. Some causes of secondary amyloidosis are multiple myeloma (10%-15%), rheumatoid arthritis (20%-25%), tuberculosis (50%), or familial Mediterranean fever (26%-40%). Radiographic studies of 90 patients with biopsy-proved primary or secondary amyloidosis were reviewed. Computed tomographic (CT) scans demonstrated a wide spectrum of disease in the cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal systems. Amyloid deposition simulated both inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Amorphous or irregular calcifications were occasionally identified within the amyloid deposit. Definitive diagnosis requires biopsy confirmation, as CT findings are nonspecific.

Adult↗

[Amyloidosis secondary to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: a case report and review of the literature].

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is a rare entity characterized by the formation of inflammatory renal masses rich in macrophages loaded with lipids. It is usually secondary to repeated urinary infections and urinary obstruction due to stones, which produce slow destruction of the renal parenchyma, requiring nephrectomy. It may sometimes be associated to secondary amyloidosis that leads to the appearance of a nephrotic syndrome. We have conducted a search in the Medline database between the years 1967 and 2003 and we only found 6 cases in adults and 3 cases in pediatric patients with amyloidosis secondary to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. During this same period, there are more than 570 citations that include more than 1,000 patients with isolated XGP, so that we estimate that amyloidosis that complicates a XGP should be less than 1% of all the XGP cases. We present a case of XGP in a 51 year old female patient associated to amyloidosis that initiated with nephrotic syndrome, analyzing the clinical characteristics of the 9 previous cases. We compared their clinical characteristics with those of 51 patients with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis without amyloidosis of a large classical series in order to characterize this clinical picture better.

Amyloidosis↗

Renal amyloidosis in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

BACKGROUND: Although it is known that renal amyloidosis may complicate several dermatoses, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) complicated by nephropathy has been thought to be rare. We, however, had seen a young adult with RDEB who died of renal failure due to systemic amyloidosis. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study was performed in order to investigate the incidence and etiology of renal amyloidosis in RDEB. METHODS: Routine urinalysis, serum amyloid A protein (SAA) and creatinine levels were repeatedly determined in 11 patients with RDEB (mean age 17.7 years, range 5-28, 7 males, 4 females). Nephropathy was defined as the presence of both proteinuria and hematuria with red blood cell casts. RESULTS: Seven out of 9 generalized RDEB patients had nephropathy including 3 cases with end-stage renal disease (2 died within 2 years from the onset of nephropathy), while 2 patients with localized RDEB did not. Levels of SAA were significantly higher in patients with nephropathy than those in patients without nephropathy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Nephropathy is a common and serious complication of RDEB. Renal amyloidosis may play an important role in its etiology. We recommend that patients with RDEB should be periodically screened for nephropathy due to amyloidosis by urinalysis and measuring SAA levels.

Adolescent↗

Current and emerging views and treatments of systemic immunoglobulin light-chain (Al) amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis is a disease in which abnormal proteins form toxic intermediates and fibrillar tissue-deposits that compromise key viscera and lead to early death. In order to treat amyloidosis, the type of abnormal protein must be identified. The most common type is monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain or AL amyloidosis. One-third to one-half of patients with systemic AL amyloidosis has renal involvement in the form of glomerular, vascular and interstitial deposits of amyloid causing progressive proteinuria. Less than 5% of AL patients present with renal failure requiring dialysis; patients with renal involvement usually present with fatigue, peripheral edema, proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. The aim of therapy in systemic AL amyloidosis is to reduce the amyloid-forming monoclonal light chains, measured with the serum free light chain assay, by suppressing the underlying plasma cell dyscrasia, while using supportive measures to sustain organ function. Amyloid deposits can be resorbed and organ function restored if the amyloid-forming precursor light chain is eliminated. The most effective treatment for systemic AL is risk-adapted melphalan with peripheral blood stem cell transplant; oral melphalan and dexamethasone is the most effective therapy for patients who are not stem cell transplant candidates although it carries a risk of myelodysplasia and leukemia. Novel therapies currently under study include thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide. With therapy, a majority of patients can achieve long-term durable remissions with stabilization or recovery of organ function. The use of novel antibody-based approaches for imaging amyloid and possibly for accelerating removal of deposits is under active investigation.

Amyloid↗