Gelsolin variant and beta-amyloid co-occur in a case of Alzheimer's with Lewy bodies.

Familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (FAF), is an autosomal dominant form of amyloidosis which is related to a point mutation in the gelsolin gene localized on chromosome 9. The mutation corresponds to codon 187 of the secreted form of gelsolin, and is expressed in the amyloid fibril at residue 15. Our original FAF patient was demented, and neuropathological analysis showed Alzheimer type brain lesions associated with both classical and cortical Lewy bodies. Furthermore, antiserum against the gelsolin-derived FAF amyloid reacted strongly with both classical and cortical Lewy bodies of this FAF patient. In preliminary experiments similar results were obtained in cases of Parkinson's disease and diffuse Lewy body disease. These observations may indicate a role for gelsolin in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related conditions.

Tissue distribution and levels of gelsolin mRNA in normal individuals and patients with gelsolin-related amyloidosis.

We measured quantitatively the mRNA levels of intracellular and secretory forms of gelsolin, an actin-modulating protein, in human tissues from subjects of different ages. The intracellular gelsolin mRNA constituted the major type of gelsolin steady-state mRNA in all tissues analyzed. Both forms of gelsolin were expressed in most adult tissues, with particularly high mRNA levels in all types of muscle and interestingly in skin. Between the adult and infantile tissues the most striking difference in expression levels was found in liver, as the adult liver contained only a subtle amount of gelsolin mRNA. Skin and muscle samples from patients with gelsolin-related amyloidosis (FAF), with significantly increased concentrations of serum gelsolin, did not reveal an increased expression of the gene, and both mutant and wild-type alleles were expressed in equal amounts. The high level of expression of the gelsolin gene in the skin in general could locally contribute to the characteristic skin amyloidosis in FAF patients.

Altered platelet shape change in hereditary gelsolin Asp187Asn-related amyloidosis.

Hereditary gelsolin-related amyloidosis (AGel amyloidosis) is a systemic disorder caused by a G654A or G654T mutation in the gene coding for gelsolin, an actin-modulating protein. Altered platelet shape change has been demonstrated in gelsolin-deficient knock-out mice, but this has not been studied in humans with gelsolin deficiency. We measured platelet shape change, characterized by maximal decrease in light transmission (D) and reaction time (T), and aggregation, associated with stimulation of platelets with different agonists in platelet rich plasma, as well as coagulation factor VIII and ristocetin cofactor activities in 20 patients, 10 healthy sibs and 20 healthy control subjects. Statistically significant alterations of parameters describing platelet shape change (D, T) were observed after stimulation with adenosine diphosphate and collagen in patients when compared to healthy subjects, but not in maximal aggregation responses, platelet counts, coagulation factor VIII or ristocetin cofactor activity levels. Patients had more haemostatic derangements. Our results suggest that, in addition to amyloid deposition, the G654A gelsolin gene defect causes altered gelsolin-mediated cellular mechanisms, which may contribute, e.g., to bleeding tendency in AGel amyloidosis patients.

Gelsolin-related familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (FAF), and its variants found worldwide.

Gelsolin-related familial amyloidosis, Finnish type, occurs worldwide, most likely as a result of sporadic low-frequency mutations. Two mutations at nucleotide 654 in the gelsolin gene have been demonstrated, which result in a characteristic triad of ophthalmologic, neurologic and dermatologic manifestations distinct from other amyloidoses. Some phenotypic variation, particularly in the age of onset and severity of manifestations, occurs but in general the disease is clinically rather homogeneous. Systemic deposition of amyloid is found in most tissues, predominantly in blood vessel walls and associated with basement membranes. The mutations result in amino acid substitutions with a charge change in the gelsolin molecule, postulated to alter the susceptibility for proteases thereby rendering the molecule amyloidogenic. Gelsolin fragments constitute the amyloid fibrils, but abnormal fragments also occur in patients' plasma and CSF providing evidence for the role of aberrant proteolysis in the disease pathomechanism. This is further strengthened by in vitro expression analyses showing both disease-related mutations to result in secretion of an abnormal gelsolin fragment, the likely precursor protein of gelsolin amyloid. Of the two forms of gelsolin, secretory and cytoplasmic, the secretory plasma form is the likely source of amyloid. The origin of the systemic amyloid deposits is not known but, beside a circulatory origin, local synthesis and deposition is an attractive pathomechanical alternative. The final goal of preventing or curing this disease has come closer, but still awaits further comprehensive pathological, functional and experimental studies in order to dissect all pathogenetically important events.

Serum gelsolin and rhabdomyolysis.

We measured the serum gelsolin, actin-modulating protein, levels in five patients after rhabdomyolysis. We observed a tendency of serum gelsolin (83 kDa) to increase during the study period of 11 days. No intracellular gelsolin (80 kDa) was found in the serum, although it is abundant in muscle, and the destruction was severe as judged by other parameters. Serum gelsolin thus behaves differently in rhabdomyolysis than after acute tissue damage in other organs, such as liver necrosis and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Autonomic nervous system and cardiac involvement in familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (FAF).

Familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (FAF), is a gelsolin-related inherited systemic amyloidosis. We report autonomic nervous system and cardiac findings in a study of 30 FAF patients (18 females, 12 males aged 27-74 years; mean 53.9 years). Cardiovascular reflex tests showed a significant decrease in heart rate variation in FAF patients compared with healthy controls. Orthostatic hypotension was found in 9 of 28 FAF patients, but only in 3 of 69 controls. Signs of amyloid cardiopathy were rare at clinical examination and in radio-, echocardio- and electrocardiographic examinations. Histological and immunohistochemical studies revealed amyloid deposition and immunoreactivity against the gelsolin-related FAF amyloid subunit in autonomic nervous system structures and in cardiac tissue in 3 autopsied FAF patients. The results show that minor autonomic nervous system dysfunction can be found in FAF, while clinically significant amyloid cardiopathy or autonomic neuropathy is not characteristic of this type of amyloidosis.

Camptocormia, a new side effect of sodium valproate.

A mentally retarded 23-year-old woman with myoclonic astatic epilepsy developed an abnormal posture of extreme forward flexion, called camptocormia, during valproate monotherapy. Camptocormia occurred concomitantly with an increase of the plasma valproate level from about 330 mumol/l up to 530 mumol/l. Four weeks earlier she had developed hepatopathy during a regimen of carbamazepine, lynestrenol and sodium valproate. Hepatopathy subsided after the cessation of carbamazepine and lynestrenol. Camptocormia improved within a week after the reduction of the plasma valproate level to about 300 mumol/l. Four months later reversible camptocormia was manifested again concomitantly with about the same plasma valproate levels as above. Accordingly, camptocormia is a dose-dependent side effect of valproate.

Familial amyloidosis of the Finnish type (FAF). A clinical study of 30 patients.

The clinical findings of familial amyloidosis of the Finnish type (FAF) were recorded in a series of 30 patients. The onset was in the 3rd or 4th decade with slow progression so that the majority was in good health still in the 7th decade. Decreased vision and corneal lattice dystrophy together with blepharochalasis were common. Signs of cranial neuropathy especially affecting the facial nerve were found in all and peripheral polyneuropathy mainly affecting the vibration and touch senses in 26 patients. Hypotrichosis, tongue and skin changes were also characteristic. Amyloid was found in all skin, sural nerve and muscle biopsies. FAF thus shows a triad of typical neurological, ophthalmological and dermatological manifestations distinct from other amyloidoses.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in hereditary gelsolin-related amyloidosis.

Gelsolin-related amyloidosis (AGel amyloidosis) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, reported worldwide in kindreds carrying a G654A or G654T gelsolin gene mutation. The main clinical signs are cutis laxa, cranial and peripheral neuropathy, and corneal lattice dystrophy but heavy intermittent snoring also occurs. To evaluate whether sleep apnoea is present we performed nocturnal sleep recordings, cephalometric and spirometric analyses and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT) in five snoring patients with a G654A gelsolin gene mutation. Four patients had obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) with redundant oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal soft tissues, macroglossia and cranial neuromuscular dysfunction. The fifth patient had hypersomnia without obstructive sleep apnoea. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was an effective treatment. This study presents the first evidence in favour of an association between AGel amyloidosis and OSAS, but further studies are needed to define the prevalence of OSAS and the pathogenetic roles of amyloid and variant gelsolin in its evolution.

Neuropathy in familial amyloidosis , Finnish type (FAF): electrophysiological studies.

We report, for the first time, electrophysiological findings in the Finnish type of familial amyloidosis (FAF), a gelsolin-related form of systemic amyloidosis. Electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and blink reflex examinations were performed in 30 patients (age range 27-74 years). Cranial nerve involvement was detected in all, and peripheral nerve involvement in the majority of patients. Carpal tunnel syndrome was a characteristic feature of FAF, previously unrecognized. Myokymia-type short spontaneous bursts in frontal muscles were found in 3 younger patients. In addition to signs of axonal degeneration we found slow nerve conduction, prolonged distal motor latencies, and conduction blocks suggestive of demyelination. Most nerve conduction velocities correlated remarkably with age. We conclude that FAF is characterized not only by distinct clinical and molecular biological features but also by electrophysiological findings, which enable differentiation from other hereditary amyloidoses.

Gelsolin-related spinal and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Gelsolin-related amyloidosis (familial amyloidosis, Finnish type) is a rare disorder, reported worldwide in kindreds carrying a G654A or G654T gelsolin gene mutation. Facial palsy, mild peripheral neuropathy, and corneal lattice dystrophy are characteristic, but atrophic bulbar palsy, ataxia of gait, and minor cognitive impairment may occur. In histological and immunohistochemical studies of the central nervous system in 4 patients with a G654A gelsolin mutation, we found widespread spinal, cerebral, and meningeal amyloid angiopathy, with deposition of gelsolin-related amyloid (AGel). Marked extravascular deposits occurred in the dura, spinal nerve roots, and sensory ganglia. The amyloid deposits were also variably immunoreactive for apolipoprotein E (ApoE), alpha1-antichymotrypsin (alpha1-ACT), and cystatin C (Cys C). Cerebral perivascular fibrinogen immunoreactivity was occasionally noted. The patients showed posterior column degeneration and diffuse loss of myelin in the centrum semiovale with perivascular accentuation. Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging, performed on 1 patient, showed white matter lesions, colocalizing with the histological abnormalities. Our study shows that deposition of AGel in the spinal and cerebral blood vessel walls, meninges, as well as spinal nerve roots and sensory ganglia is an essential feature of this form of systemic amyloidosis and may contribute to the central nervous system symptoms.

Amyloid protein in familial amyloidosis (Finnish type) is homologous to gelsolin, an actin-binding protein.

Familial amyloidosis, Finnish type, is clinically characterized by cranial neuropathy and lattice corneal dystrophy. It is an autosomal dominant form of systemic amyloidosis with small deposits of congophilic material occurring in most tissues, particularly in association with blood vessel walls and basement membranes. Amyloid fibrils were extracted from the kidney of patient VUO, and rabbit antiserum raised against the 12 kDa purified amyloid subunit displayed strong immunohistochemical reactivity with the amyloid deposits. The amino terminal sequence of this 12 kDa amyloid protein (ATEVPVSWESFNNGD) showed homology with gelsolin (or actin depolymerizing factor), a 93 kDa plasma protein. The amyloid peptide is a degradation product, starting at position 173, of the gelsolin molecule.

Finnish type of familial amyloidosis: cosegregation of Asp187----Asn mutation of gelsolin with the disease in three large families.

Familial amyloidosis of Finnish type (FAF) is one of the familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) syndromes, a group of inherited disorders characterized by extracellular accumulation of amyloid and by clinical symptoms and signs of polyneuropathy. FAF, an autosomal dominant trait, belongs to those rare monogenic disorders which occur with increased frequency in the Finnish population: only single FAF cases have been reported from other populations. In most types of FAP syndromes the accumulating protein is a transthyretin variant. However, recent evidence has suggested that the amyloid peptides in FAF are related to gelsolin, an actin modulating protein. The gelsolin fragments isolated from at least one patient with amyloidosis have been reported to have an amino acid substitution, with asparagine replacing aspartic acid at position 187 of the plasma gelsolin. In this study allele-specific oligonucleotides were used to analyze three large FAF families with multiple affected individuals as well as healthy family members. We found the corresponding G-A mutation in nucleotide 654 of the plasma gelsolin gene to cosegregate with the disease. The result was confirmed by sequencing and strongly suggests that the mutation has caused all the FAF cases of these families. Since the disease is clustered in restricted areas on the southern coast of Finland, this mutation most probably causes the majority, if not all, of FAF cases in Finland.

Amyloid in familial amyloidosis, Finnish type, is antigenically and structurally related to gelsolin.

Immunohistochemical studies of six patients with familial amyloidosis, Finnish type, showed that their amyloid deposits did not react with polyclonal antibodies against the amyloid proteins of other, established forms of systemic or cerebral amyloidosis. However, strong immunoreactivity was observed with rabbit antiserum raised against a low molecular weight purified amyloid subunit isolated from one of the patients. This immunoreactivity was abolished by absorption with the low molecular weight amyloid fraction. The amino terminal sequence of the amyloid protein subunit was homologous to gelsolin, an actin-modulating protein, and the amyloid deposits in tissues reacted with a monoclonal antibody against gelsolin. These studies show that the amyloid protein in familial amyloidosis, Finnish type, is not related to previously identified forms of amyloid, including prealbumin (transthyretin) variants, but represents a novel amyloidogenic protein related to gelsolin, a plasma and cytoplasmic protein.

Haplotype analysis in gelsolin-related amyloidosis reveals independent origin of identical mutation (G654A) of gelsolin in Finland and Japan.

Familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (FAF) (gelsolin-related amyloidosis) is an autosomal dominant form of systemic amyloidosis characterized by corneal lattice dystrophy and peripheral polyneuropathy. The accumulating protein in FAF consists of fragments of gelsolin, an actin-modulating protein. The gelsolin mutation G654A has been found in both Finnish and Japanese patients. To study the origin of the gelsolin mutation in these patients we performed haplotype analysis in 10 Finnish and 2 Japanese FAF families. Poymorphic DNA markers GSN, D9S103, AFMa061xd9, and AFMa139xb9 revealed a uniform disease haplotype in all the disease-associated chromosomes of the Finnish FAF families, which was different from the one observed in the Japanese families. The present results and the previously detected gelsolin mutation G654T in Czech and Danish FAF patients suggest that nucleotide 654 may represent a mutation hot spot in the gelsolin gene. The DNA markers studied here will be useful in future genealogical analyses of FAF.