What is Amyloidosis?
Amyloidosis is a condition where proteins in the body misfold into a shape that allows them to form into amyloid fibrils and deposit in organs throughout the body. While the amyloid fibrils build up, the organs may not work as well as before.
Different proteins may cause amyloidosis. In order to choose the best therapy, it is necessary to determine which protein is responsible. The most common types of amyloidosis are light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis.
How Does it Affect the Body?
AL (Primary) Amyloidosis
AL (primary) amyloidosis is the most common form of the disease.
AA (Secondary) Amyloidosis
This type of amyloidosis is associated through a protein called “serum amyloid A."
Familial ATTR Amyloidosis
In Familial ATTR amyloidosis the body makes a mutant form of a protein called “transthyretin."
Wild-Type (Senile) ATTR Amyloidosis
Similar to familial TTR amyloidosis, except the protein is the normal transthyretin protein.