Neurology 2002;58:1001-1007
© 2002 American Academy of Neurology
Views & Reviews
Familial transthyretin-type amyloid polyneuropathy in Japan
Clinical and genetic heterogeneity
Shu-ichi Ikeda, MD PhD,
Masamitsu Nakazato, MD PhD,
Yukio Ando, MD PhD and
Gen Sobue, MD PhD
From the Third Department of Medicine (Dr. Ikeda), Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto; Third Department of Internal Medicine (Dr. Nakazato), Miyazaki Medical College; Department of Laboratory Medicine (Dr. Ando), Kumamoto University School of Medicine; and Department of Neurology (Dr. Sobue), Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. S.-I. Ikeda, Third Department of Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan; e-mail: ikedasi{at}hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
Familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) was once considered a disease peculiar to endemic areas, but it is now recognized not to be a rare disease among hereditary neuropathic disorders in Japan. FAP in Japan, the majority of which is caused by transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloid deposition, shows a wide spectrum of clinical pictures. This variability can be explained on the basis of the many causative gene mutations of TTR, but even in the same TTR type of FAP, the clinical phenotypes seem to vary in different kindreds or individuals. Especially in the case of the Val30Met TTR type, the sex ratio and the age at onset are considerably different between patients in endemic foci and those in nonendemic areas. It is also noteworthy that serious cardiac amyloidosis is commonly seen in patients with FAP of the non-Val30Met TTR type. In addition to TTR gene mutation, unknown factors may play an important role in the development of FAP. At present, liver transplantation is the only life-saving treatment, but this therapy is always associated with great stress for the patient and the donor, particularly in living-related transplantation. Less invasive treatments for this disease are required.
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Rapezzi, G. Merlini, C. C. Quarta, L. Riva, S. Longhi, O. Leone, F. Salvi, P. Ciliberti, F. Pastorelli, E. Biagini, et al.
Systemic Cardiac Amyloidoses: Disease Profiles and Clinical Courses of the 3 Main Types
Circulation,
September 29, 2009;
120(13):
1203 - 1212.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Yamashita, Y. Ando, M. Ueda, M. Nakamura, S. Okamoto, M. E. Zeledon, T. Hirahara, T. Hirai, A. Ueda, Y. Misumi, et al.
Effect of liver transplantation on transthyretin Tyr114Cys-related cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Neurology,
January 8, 2008;
70(2):
123 - 128.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. Ando, M. Nakamura, and S. Araki
Transthyretin-Related Familial Amyloidotic Polyneuropathy
Arch Neurol,
July 1, 2005;
62(7):
1057 - 1062.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. L. Soares, T. Coelho, A. Sousa, S. Batalov, I. Conceicao, M. L. Sales-Luis, M. D. Ritchie, S. M. Williams, C. M. Nievergelt, N. J. Schork, et al.
Susceptibility and modifier genes in Portuguese transthyretin V30M amyloid polyneuropathy: complexity in a single-gene disease
Hum. Mol. Genet.,
February 15, 2005;
14(4):
543 - 553.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K Jin, S Sato, T Takahashi, H Nakazaki, Y Date, M Nakazato, T Tominaga, Y Itoyama, and S Ikeda
Familial leptomeningeal amyloidosis with a transthyretin variant Asp18Gly representing repeated subarachnoid haemorrhages with superficial siderosis
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry,
October 1, 2004;
75(10):
1463 - 1466.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Korenaga, X. Fu, Y. Xing, T. Matsusita, K. Kuramoto, S. Syumiya, K. Hasegawa, H. Naiki, M. Ueno, T. Ishihara, et al.
Tissue Distribution, Biochemical Properties, and Transmission of Mouse Type A AApoAII Amyloid Fibrils
Am. J. Pathol.,
May 1, 2004;
164(5):
1597 - 1606.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H Ohmori, Y Ando, Y Makita, Y Onouchi, T Nakajima, M J M Saraiva, H Terazaki, O Suhr, G Sobue, M Nakamura, et al.
Common origin of the Val30Met mutation responsible for the amyloidogenic transthyretin type of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy
J. Med. Genet.,
April 1, 2004;
41(4):
e51 - e51.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
V Plante-Bordeneuve, J Carayol, A Ferreira, D Adams, F Clerget-Darpoux, M Misrahi, G Said, and C Bonaiti-Pellie
Genetic study of transthyretin amyloid neuropathies: carrier risks among French and Portuguese families
J. Med. Genet.,
November 1, 2003;
40(11):
e120 - 120.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. A. Gertz
Diagnosing Primary Amyloidosis
Mayo Clin. Proc.,
December 1, 2002;
77(12):
1278 - 1279.
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|