[Amyloidosis: new facts, disputable and unresolved problems]

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Pathology
• Immunology

Context:

• Amyloidosis is a group of diseases characterized by the deposition of amyloid fibrils in various organs and tissues.
• The heterogeneity of amyloid proteins and their precursors has been a long-standing challenge in understanding amyloidosis.
• Recent advances have provided critical evidence for this heterogeneity.

Purpose:

• To highlight the significance of newly established proofs of heterogeneity in amyloid fiber protein and its precursors.
• To establish a foundation for resolving complex issues in amyloidosis pathogenesis and classification.
• To propose pathogenic schemes for AA- and AL-amyloidosis and outline features for a tentative classification.

Summary:

• The heterogeneity of amyloid fiber protein and its serum/local precursors is a key recent advance in amyloidosis research.
• This heterogeneity is essential for studying unresolved questions in the pathogenesis of diverse amyloidosis forms.
• The author proposes pathogenesis schemes for AA- and AL-amyloidosis and suggests features for a tentative classification system.

Impact:

• Provides a new framework for understanding the diverse mechanisms underlying amyloidosis.
• Facilitates the development of more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
• Aims to advance the classification of amyloidosis based on molecular heterogeneity.