No description available.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heterogeneous, often familial disease, characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, predominantly affecting the interventricular septum. To date, no study has systematically analysed the genetic and phenotypic aspects of the disease in a Swedish population. The aim of this thesis was to identify the genotypes causing HCM in northern Sweden, to characterize the disease phenotypes and correlate these findings. Forty-six patients were recruited for the genetic studies (21 women), 11 familial and 35 sporadic cases. Eight sarcomeric protein genes were screened for mutations. A total of 11 different disease causing mutations were found in four genes. Six of the mutations were previously not described. A novel mutation (a 33 base pair deletion) in the troponin I gene was found in one HCM family. Despite the severe genetic defect, the associated phenotype displayed only mild cardiac hypertrophy and few symptoms. Most mutations (64%) were identified in the myosin binding protein C gene, a gene considered to have a low penetrance. Mutations were identified in 10 of 11 familial HCM cases, but only in three of the 35 sporadic cases. It was found that cardiac amyloidosis can sometimes present itself as HCM. Three HCM patients (7%) carried the ATTR Val30Met mutation, also found in Swedish patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). The patients had no symptoms of polyneuropathy, but cardiac amyloidosis as the cause of hypertrophy was verified by myocardial biopsy in an index case. Amyloid heart disease should therefore be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with HCM. By studying heart rate variability (HRV), it was found that young patients with HCM had signs of autonomic dysfunction, expressed as a reduced HRV. Treatment with beta-blockade attenuated these effects. Abnormal autonomic function might be a substrate for lethal arrhythmias, most often encountered in younger patients with HCM. The results suggest a possible protective effect of beta-blockade, remaining to be studied further. Ventricular function is frequently abnormal in HCM. In particular, diastolic dysfunction has been demonstrated. The recently described myocardial performance index allows the assessment of cardiac function by combining systolic and diastolic performance. We found that patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy had evidence of global and regional right ventricular dysfunction, besides left ventricular dysfunction. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is traditionally considered to be a disease of the left ventricle. The results show that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should more be regarded as a biventricular disease. In conclusion, the myosin binding protein C gene is the most common gene causing familial HCM in northern Sweden. This disease gene is considered to be associated with a mild, late-onset disease with ≈50% penetrance at 30 years of age. The low disease penetrance emphasizes the importance of adequate family screening when evaluating patients with HCM, since the familial nature of the disease might easily be overlooked. These particular disease features in northern Sweden contrast to most previous reports, which indicate another disease gene as the most frequent in HCM, associated with a much higher penetrance. Amyloid heart disease, requiring different treatment than HCM, should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis in the management of patients with HCM. Key words: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, genetics, autonomic nervous system, familial amyloid polyneuropathy, echocardiography.

Introdução: Polineuropatias são doenças do sistema nervoso periférico com etiologias variadas. Dentre elas são freqüentes as inflamatórias e as hereditárias, com prevalência de 0,67-7,7/100000 e 7,9-82,3/100000 para polineuropatia inflamatória desmielinizante crônica (PIDC) e Doença de Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), respectivamente. Existem poucas evidências de sobreposição entre estas duas doenças e também algumas dificuldades diagnósticas em situações específicas. Objetivos: Estudar a freqüência de mutações (duplicações e deleções) do gene PMP22 em uma coorte de pacientes inicialmente diagnosticados como PIDC ou suspeitos de apresentarem as duas condições, os sinais e sintomas sugestivos da sobreposição e os fatores implicados em erro de classificação da neuropatia. Métodos: 111 pacientes com diagnóstico de PIDC foram estudados. DNA foi isolado a partir de leucócitos de sangue periférico segundo protocolo padrão. Duplicações e deleções do gene PMP22 foram avaliadas através de marcadores polimórficos do DNA localizados dentro do cromossomo 17p11.2-12, o qual contém o gene PMP22. Achados clínicos e laboratoriais também foram estudados e comparados entre os grupos. Resultados: Dentre os 111 pacientes estudados, mutações no PMP22 foram encontradas em 10 (9%), sendo duplicações em 9 pacientes e deleção em 1 paciente. Concomitância entre PIDC e CMT foi verificada em 4 pacientes (3,6%), todos com duplicação do PMP22. Os outros 6 pacientes foram diagnosticados como CMT puro (5) ou Neuropatia Hereditária Susceptível à Compressão (1), visto que não apresentaram melhora com o uso de tratamento imunomodulador e/ou imunossupressor (5 casos) ou foi estabelecido diagnóstico alternativo associado (1). Os outros 101 pacientes não tiveram duplicação nem deleção deste gene e, portanto, tinham PIDC apenas. Idade média dos pacientes com PIDC/CMT foi de 23,8±18,0 anos e 43,6±19,3 anos para pacientes sem mutações (p=0,04). Houve diferença estatísticamente significativa na resposta ao tratamento entre os grupos PIDC/CMT X CMT (p=0,008) e PIDC X CMT (p=0,00). Ausência de história familiar e presença de doenças e hábitos ligados ao desenvolvimento de neuropatias periféricas, como diabetes mellitus e ingesta de bebidas alcoólicas, por exemplo, bem como achados atípicos na eletroneuromiografia e na biópsia de nervo podem ter contribuído para a confusão diagnóstica nos casos de CMT puro. Conclusões: Alguns pacientes podem desenvolver PIDC em associação com CMT e se beneficiam do tratamento. A neuropatia hereditária poderia predispor à neuropatia inflamatória, uma vez que estes pacientes tendem a apresentar essa condição em idades mais precoces. Cautela deve ser dispensada àqueles pacientes com suspeita diagnóstica de PIDC que não têm os achados clássicos ou não melhoram com o tratamento, uma vez que podem apresentar outras etiologias para a neuropatia, dentre elas uma neuropatia hereditária, como a CMT. / Introduction: Polyneuropathies are peripheral nervous system disorders with a wide range of etiologies. Among them, inflammatory and hereditary are frequent with prevalence of 0.67-7.7/100000 and 7.9-82.3/100000, for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), respectively. There are a few evidence of ovelapping between these two conditions and also some diagnostic difficulties in specific situations. Objectives: To study the frequency of mutations in PMP22 gene (duplications and delections) among a cohort of patients initially diagnosed as CIDP or suspected to have both conditions, the signs and symptoms related to this ovelapping and factors implicated in misdiagnose. Methods: 111 patients with an initially CIDP suspected diagnosis were studied. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes following a standard salting-out protocol. Duplications and delections in the PMP22 gene were analysed by polymorphic DNA markers located within the chromosome 17p11.2-12, wich contains the PMP22 gene. Clinical and laboratory findings were also studied and compared within groups. Results: Among 111 patients studied, 10 (9%) were found to harbor mutations in PMP22 gene, specifically duplications in nine and delection in one. We therefore diagnosed CIDP plus CMT in four patients (3.6%), all of them with a duplicated PMP22 gene. The other six patients were diagnosed as pure CMT (5) or Hereditary Neuropathy with liability to Pressure Palsy (1), as they did not improved with the use of immunomodulatory and/or immunosupressive treatment (five cases) or were found to have alternative associated diagnosis (one patient). The other 101 patients did not show duplication nor delection in this gene, so they had CIDP. Mean age of patients with CIDP/CMT were 23.8±18.0 years and 43.6±19.3 years for patients without mutations (p=0.04). There were statistically significant difference in treatmet response between groups CIDP/CMT X CMT (p=0.008) and CIDP X CMT (p=0.00). The lack of family history and presence of other diseases and habits linked to the development of peripheral neuropathies, as diabetes mellitus and alcohol intake, for instance, as well as atypical findings in electrodiagnostic studies and nerve biopsy may have contributed to misdiagnose in the pure CMT cases. Conclusions: Some patients may develop CIDP in association with CMT and have benefit from treatment. The hereditary neuropathy may predispose to the inflammatory neuropathy as these patients tend to show this condition at younger ages. Caution should be dispensed to those patients with a suspected diagnose of CIDP who do not have the classical disease findings or do not improve with treatment, as they can have alternative etiologies for the neuropathy, among them a hereditary neuropathy as CMT disease.

Introdução: Polineuropatias são doenças do sistema nervoso periférico com etiologias variadas. Dentre elas são freqüentes as inflamatórias e as hereditárias, com prevalência de 0,67-7,7/100000 e 7,9-82,3/100000 para polineuropatia inflamatória desmielinizante crônica (PIDC) e Doença de Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), respectivamente. Existem poucas evidências de sobreposição entre estas duas doenças e também algumas dificuldades diagnósticas em situações específicas. Objetivos: Estudar a freqüência de mutações (duplicações e deleções) do gene PMP22 em uma coorte de pacientes inicialmente diagnosticados como PIDC ou suspeitos de apresentarem as duas condições, os sinais e sintomas sugestivos da sobreposição e os fatores implicados em erro de classificação da neuropatia. Métodos: 111 pacientes com diagnóstico de PIDC foram estudados. DNA foi isolado a partir de leucócitos de sangue periférico segundo protocolo padrão. Duplicações e deleções do gene PMP22 foram avaliadas através de marcadores polimórficos do DNA localizados dentro do cromossomo 17p11.2-12, o qual contém o gene PMP22. Achados clínicos e laboratoriais também foram estudados e comparados entre os grupos. Resultados: Dentre os 111 pacientes estudados, mutações no PMP22 foram encontradas em 10 (9%), sendo duplicações em 9 pacientes e deleção em 1 paciente. Concomitância entre PIDC e CMT foi verificada em 4 pacientes (3,6%), todos com duplicação do PMP22. Os outros 6 pacientes foram diagnosticados como CMT puro (5) ou Neuropatia Hereditária Susceptível à Compressão (1), visto que não apresentaram melhora com o uso de tratamento imunomodulador e/ou imunossupressor (5 casos) ou foi estabelecido diagnóstico alternativo associado (1). Os outros 101 pacientes não tiveram duplicação nem deleção deste gene e, portanto, tinham PIDC apenas. Idade média dos pacientes com PIDC/CMT foi de 23,8±18,0 anos e 43,6±19,3 anos para pacientes sem mutações (p=0,04). Houve diferença estatísticamente significativa na resposta ao tratamento entre os grupos PIDC/CMT X CMT (p=0,008) e PIDC X CMT (p=0,00). Ausência de história familiar e presença de doenças e hábitos ligados ao desenvolvimento de neuropatias periféricas, como diabetes mellitus e ingesta de bebidas alcoólicas, por exemplo, bem como achados atípicos na eletroneuromiografia e na biópsia de nervo podem ter contribuído para a confusão diagnóstica nos casos de CMT puro. Conclusões: Alguns pacientes podem desenvolver PIDC em associação com CMT e se beneficiam do tratamento. A neuropatia hereditária poderia predispor à neuropatia inflamatória, uma vez que estes pacientes tendem a apresentar essa condição em idades mais precoces. Cautela deve ser dispensada àqueles pacientes com suspeita diagnóstica de PIDC que não têm os achados clássicos ou não melhoram com o tratamento, uma vez que podem apresentar outras etiologias para a neuropatia, dentre elas uma neuropatia hereditária, como a CMT. / Introduction: Polyneuropathies are peripheral nervous system disorders with a wide range of etiologies. Among them, inflammatory and hereditary are frequent with prevalence of 0.67-7.7/100000 and 7.9-82.3/100000, for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), respectively. There are a few evidence of ovelapping between these two conditions and also some diagnostic difficulties in specific situations. Objectives: To study the frequency of mutations in PMP22 gene (duplications and delections) among a cohort of patients initially diagnosed as CIDP or suspected to have both conditions, the signs and symptoms related to this ovelapping and factors implicated in misdiagnose. Methods: 111 patients with an initially CIDP suspected diagnosis were studied. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes following a standard salting-out protocol. Duplications and delections in the PMP22 gene were analysed by polymorphic DNA markers located within the chromosome 17p11.2-12, wich contains the PMP22 gene. Clinical and laboratory findings were also studied and compared within groups. Results: Among 111 patients studied, 10 (9%) were found to harbor mutations in PMP22 gene, specifically duplications in nine and delection in one. We therefore diagnosed CIDP plus CMT in four patients (3.6%), all of them with a duplicated PMP22 gene. The other six patients were diagnosed as pure CMT (5) or Hereditary Neuropathy with liability to Pressure Palsy (1), as they did not improved with the use of immunomodulatory and/or immunosupressive treatment (five cases) or were found to have alternative associated diagnosis (one patient). The other 101 patients did not show duplication nor delection in this gene, so they had CIDP. Mean age of patients with CIDP/CMT were 23.8±18.0 years and 43.6±19.3 years for patients without mutations (p=0.04). There were statistically significant difference in treatmet response between groups CIDP/CMT X CMT (p=0.008) and CIDP X CMT (p=0.00). The lack of family history and presence of other diseases and habits linked to the development of peripheral neuropathies, as diabetes mellitus and alcohol intake, for instance, as well as atypical findings in electrodiagnostic studies and nerve biopsy may have contributed to misdiagnose in the pure CMT cases. Conclusions: Some patients may develop CIDP in association with CMT and have benefit from treatment. The hereditary neuropathy may predispose to the inflammatory neuropathy as these patients tend to show this condition at younger ages. Caution should be dispensed to those patients with a suspected diagnose of CIDP who do not have the classical disease findings or do not improve with treatment, as they can have alternative etiologies for the neuropathy, among them a hereditary neuropathy as CMT disease.

O envolvimento do sistema nervoso periférico em diversas doenças auto-imunes é bem estabelecido. No entanto, não existem estudos, com desenho metodológico apropriado, que tenham investigado a relação entre síndrome antifosfolípide primária (SAFP) e neuropatia periférica. Nosso objetivo nesse trabalho foi investigar a ocorrência de neuropatia periférica em pacientes com SAFP. Vinte e seis pacientes com SAFP (critérios de Sapporo) e vinte controles, saudáveis, pareados por sexo e idade, foram recrutados em dois centros de referência. Foram excluídas as causas secundárias de neuropatia periférica e um exame neurológico completo, seguido de estudo de neurocondução, foi realizado em todos os indivíduos. Parestesias foram observadas em oito pacientes (31%). Leve fraqueza distal e anormalidades nos reflexos tendíneos profundos, foram observados em três (11,5%) pacientes. Evidência eletrofisiológica de neuropatia periférica foi observada em nove (35%) pacientes: quatro (15,5%) pacientes apresentaram neuropatia sensitiva ou sensitivo-motora axonal distais (em dois deles, com a superposição de síndrome do túnel do carpo), um (4%) paciente apresentou neuropatia sensitivo-motora, axonal e desmielinizante, acometendo os membros superiores e inferiores, enquanto que em quatro (15,5%) pacientes, observou-se a presença isolada de síndrome do túnel do carpo. As alterações clínicas e sorológicas dos pacientes com SAFP não guardaram qualquer correlação, com as alterações eletrofisiológicas. Em conclusão, neuropatia periférica, em geral assintomática, é comum na SAFP. Estudo de condução nervosa deve ser considerado na avaliação desses pacientes. / The involvement of the peripheral nervous system in diverse autoimmune diseases is well established. However, no appropriately designed studies have been performed in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS)-related peripheral neuropathy. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in patients diagnosed with PAPS. Twenty-six consecutive PAPS (Sapporo\'s criteria) patients and twenty age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled at two referral centers. Exclusion criteria were secondary causes of peripheral neuropathy. A complete clinical neurological exam followed by nerve conduction studies (NCSs) were performed. Paresthesias were reported in 8 patients (31%). Objective mild distal weakness and abnormal symmetric deep tendon reflexes were observed in three (11.5%) patients. With regard to the electrophysiological evidence of peripheral neuropathy, nine (35.0%) patients had alterations: four (15.5%) had pure sensory or sensorimotor distal axonal neuropathy (in two of them a carpal tunnel syndrome was also present) and one (4%) had sensorimotor demyelinating and axonal neuropathy involving upper and lower extremities, while four patients (15.5%) showed isolated carpal tunnel syndrome. Clinical and serological results were similar in all PAPS patients, regardless of the presence of electrophysiological alterations. In conclusion, peripheral neuropathy is a common asymptomatic abnormality in PAPS patients. The routine performance of NCS may be considered when evaluating such patients.

O envolvimento do sistema nervoso periférico em diversas doenças auto-imunes é bem estabelecido. No entanto, não existem estudos, com desenho metodológico apropriado, que tenham investigado a relação entre síndrome antifosfolípide primária (SAFP) e neuropatia periférica. Nosso objetivo nesse trabalho foi investigar a ocorrência de neuropatia periférica em pacientes com SAFP. Vinte e seis pacientes com SAFP (critérios de Sapporo) e vinte controles, saudáveis, pareados por sexo e idade, foram recrutados em dois centros de referência. Foram excluídas as causas secundárias de neuropatia periférica e um exame neurológico completo, seguido de estudo de neurocondução, foi realizado em todos os indivíduos. Parestesias foram observadas em oito pacientes (31%). Leve fraqueza distal e anormalidades nos reflexos tendíneos profundos, foram observados em três (11,5%) pacientes. Evidência eletrofisiológica de neuropatia periférica foi observada em nove (35%) pacientes: quatro (15,5%) pacientes apresentaram neuropatia sensitiva ou sensitivo-motora axonal distais (em dois deles, com a superposição de síndrome do túnel do carpo), um (4%) paciente apresentou neuropatia sensitivo-motora, axonal e desmielinizante, acometendo os membros superiores e inferiores, enquanto que em quatro (15,5%) pacientes, observou-se a presença isolada de síndrome do túnel do carpo. As alterações clínicas e sorológicas dos pacientes com SAFP não guardaram qualquer correlação, com as alterações eletrofisiológicas. Em conclusão, neuropatia periférica, em geral assintomática, é comum na SAFP. Estudo de condução nervosa deve ser considerado na avaliação desses pacientes. / The involvement of the peripheral nervous system in diverse autoimmune diseases is well established. However, no appropriately designed studies have been performed in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS)-related peripheral neuropathy. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in patients diagnosed with PAPS. Twenty-six consecutive PAPS (Sapporo\'s criteria) patients and twenty age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled at two referral centers. Exclusion criteria were secondary causes of peripheral neuropathy. A complete clinical neurological exam followed by nerve conduction studies (NCSs) were performed. Paresthesias were reported in 8 patients (31%). Objective mild distal weakness and abnormal symmetric deep tendon reflexes were observed in three (11.5%) patients. With regard to the electrophysiological evidence of peripheral neuropathy, nine (35.0%) patients had alterations: four (15.5%) had pure sensory or sensorimotor distal axonal neuropathy (in two of them a carpal tunnel syndrome was also present) and one (4%) had sensorimotor demyelinating and axonal neuropathy involving upper and lower extremities, while four patients (15.5%) showed isolated carpal tunnel syndrome. Clinical and serological results were similar in all PAPS patients, regardless of the presence of electrophysiological alterations. In conclusion, peripheral neuropathy is a common asymptomatic abnormality in PAPS patients. The routine performance of NCS may be considered when evaluating such patients.

Introdução: A polineuromiopatia do doente crítico (PNMDC) é uma freqüente complicação neuromuscular adquirida na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI). O principal fator de risco está relacionado à sepse e à disfunção de múltiplos órgãos sendo que sua incidência pode variar entre 50 a 100%. A confirmação do diagnóstico é feita pela eletroneuromiografia, porém sugere-se que as características clínicas (fraqueza muscular, alterações sensoriais e de reflexos e dificuldade de desmame da ventilação mecânica) possam ser suficientes para o diagnóstico clínico. Objetivo: Identificar sinais clínicos que possam ser utilizados como marcadores para auxiliar no diagnóstico de PNMDC à beira do leito em pacientes sépticos. Resultados: Cinquenta pacientes foram avaliados e divididos em dois grupos conforme o resultado da eletroneuromiografia (PNMDC e não PNMDC). Os pacientes com PNMDC tinham idade maior e eram mais graves (APACHE IV e SAPS 3), permaneceram maior período hospitalizados e necessitaram de suporte ventilatório por mais tempo. Os pontos de corte: <40 para escore Medical Research Council (MRC); <7 kg para dinamometria em homens e <4 kg em mulheres; <34 cmH2O para pressão expiratória máxima e >-40 cmH2O para pressão inspiratória máxima conseguiram identificar com bons níveis de sensibilidade e de especificidade os pacientes com PNMDC. Conclusões: A força muscular esquelética pelo escore MRC, dinamometria e pressões respiratórias máximas é uma método simples que permite a identificação de PNMDC em uma avaliação clínica à beira do leito. / Introduction: Critical illness polyneuromyopathy (CIPNM) is a frequent acquired neuromuscular complication in the Intensive Care Units (ICU). The main risk factor is related to sepsis and multiple organs dysfunction and the incidence of this disorder can reach 50-100%. The diagnosis is made by electromyography, but it is suggested that the clinical features (muscle weakness, sensory and reflexes changes and difficulty in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation) may be sufficient for clinical diagnosis. Objective: To identify clinical signs that may be used as markers to help in the bedside diagnosis of CIPNM in septic patients. Results: Fifty patients were evaluated and divided into two groups according to the results of electromyography (CIPNM and non-CIPNM). The patients with CIPNM were older, showed more severe illness (Apache IV and Saps 3), remained hospitalized for longer period of time, and required longer period of ventilatory support than non-CIPNM. The cutoffs that could identify the patients with CIPNM with good levels of sensitivity and specificity were: Medical Research Council (MRC) score <40; dynamometry <7 kg for men and <4 kg for women, maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) <34 cmH2O and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) > -40 cmH2O . Conclusions: The assessment of skeletal muscle strength by MRC score, dynamometry and maximum respiratory pressure is a simple method that allows the diagnosis of CIPNM through a clinical examination at the bedside.

Systemic amyloidoses are a group of lethal diseases where proteins aggregate into fibrillar structures, called amyloid fibrils, that deposits throughout the body. Transthyretin (TTR) causes one type of amyloidosis, in which the aggregates mainly infiltrate nervous and cardiac tissue. Almost a hundred different mutations in the TTR gene are known to trigger the disease, but wild-type (wt) TTR is also incorporated into the fibrils, and may alone form amyloid. Patients with the TTRV30M mutation show, for unknown reasons, two clinical phenotypes. Some have an early onset of disease without cardiomyopathy while others have a late onset and cardiomyopathy. It has previously been described that amyloid fibrils formed from TTRV30M can have two different compositions; either with truncated molecules beside full-length TTR (type A) or only-full-length molecules (type B).  In this thesis, the clinical importance of the two types of amyloid fibrils was investigated. We found that the fibril composition types are correlated to the two clinical phenotypes seen among TTRV30M patients, with type A fibrils present in late onset patients and type B fibrils in early onset patients. The only treatment for hereditary TTR amyloidosis has been liver transplantation, whereby the liver producing the mutant TTR is replaced by an organ only producing wt protein. However, in some patients, cardiac symptoms progress post-transplantationally. We demonstrated that the propensity to incorporate wtTTR differs between fibril types and tissue types in TTRV30M patients, with cardiac amyloid of type A having the highest tendency. This offers an explanation to why particularly cardiac amyloidosis develops after transplantation, and suggests which patients that are at risk for such development. By examining patients with other mutations than TTRV30M, we showed that, in contrast to the general belief, a fibril composition with truncated TTR is very common and might even be the general rule. This may explain why TTRV30M patients often have a better outcome after liver transplantation than patients with other mutations. In conclusion, this thesis has contributed with one piece to the puzzle of understanding the differences in clinical phenotype and treatment response between TTR amyloidosis patients, by demonstrating corresponding differences at a molecular level.

BACKGROUND: Serum amyloid P component (SAP) is a glycoprotein that is universally found associated with different types of amyloid deposits. It has been suggested that it stabilizes amyloid fibrils and therefore protects them from proteolytic degradation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this paper, we show that SAP binds not only to mature amyloid fibrils but also to early aggregates of amyloidogenic mutants of the plasma protein transthyretin (TTR). It does not inhibit fibril formation of TTR mutants, which spontaneously form amyloid in vitro at physiological pH. We found that SAP prevents cell death induced by mutant TTR, while several other molecules that are also known to decorate amyloid fibrils do not have such effect. Using a Drosophila model for TTR-associated amyloidosis, we found a new role for SAP as a protective factor in inhibition of TTR-induced toxicity. Overexpression of mutated TTR leads to a neurological phenotype with changes in wing posture. SAP-transgenic flies were crossed with mutated TTR-expressing flies and the results clearly confirmed a protective effect of SAP on TTR-induced phenotype, with an almost complete reduction in abnormal wing posture. Furthermore, we found in vivo that binding of SAP to mutated TTR counteracts the otherwise detrimental effects of aggregation of amyloidogenic TTR on retinal structure. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Together, these two approaches firmly establish the protective effect of SAP on TTR-induced cell death and degenerative phenotypes, and suggest a novel role for SAP through which the toxicity of early amyloidogenic aggregates is attenuated. / <p>Epub 2013 Feb 4.</p>

Immunoglobulin-mediated inhibition of amyloid fibril formation in vivo is a promising strategy for the treatment of protein misfolding diseases such as the amyloidoses. Here we focus on transthyretin amyloidoses, a group of protein conformation diseases caused by the misfolding of the serum protein transthyretin into fibrillar structures that deposit in specific organs and tissues—often with serious pathological consequences. Using a structure-guided immunological approach, we report a novel antibody that selectively recognizes monomeric, misfolded conformations of transthyretin in vitro. Raised to an epitope normally buried in the native form of transthyretin, this antibody was found to suppress transthyretin fibrillogenesis at substoichiometric concentrations in vitro. Overall, the selectivity and inhibitory nature of the antibody signals the potential use of conformation specific antibodies in the diagnosis and treatment of transthyretin amyloidoses, conditions which remain difficult to treat and are widely under/misdiagnosed at the current time.