An immunohistochemical study of gelsolin immunoreactivity in corneal amyloidosis.

Abstract

A variant of the actin-modulating protein gelsolin has recently been identified as a component of the amyloid deposits in familial amyloidosis, Finnish type (Meretoja's syndrome), and has been demonstrated immunohistochemically in amyloid deposits in the cornea, and in the skin, kidney, heart, thyroid gland, salivary gland, and rectum of patients with this disease. With the use of immunohistochemistry involving an antibody against gelsolin, we examined a corneal specimen from a patient with Meretoja's syndrome and 14 corneal specimens with lattice dystrophy type I, atypical lattice dystrophy, polymorphic amyloid degeneration, primary familial amyloidosis, or secondary corneal amyloidosis. Our results showed the presence of a gelsolin-related protein either within or around corneal amyloid deposits in nine of the 15 specimens and markedly increased anti-gelsolin immunoreactivity of the corneal keratocytes in 13 of the 15 diseased corneas. These data indicated that the accumulation of gelsolin may be seen in various forms of amyloidosis and may not be confined to Meretoja's syndrome.

• Authors: K U Loeffler, D P Edward, M O Tso
• Journal: American journal of ophthalmology (Am J Ophthalmol) Vol. 113 Issue 5 Pg. 546-54 (May 15 1992) ISSN: 0002-9394 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1315488 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Amyloid
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Calcium-Binding Proteins
• Gelsolin
• Microfilament Proteins

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Amyloid (metabolism)
• Amyloidosis (metabolism, pathology)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Calcium-Binding Proteins (metabolism)
• Child
• Corneal Diseases (metabolism, pathology)
• Corneal Stroma (metabolism)
• Female
• Gelsolin
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Male
• Microfilament Proteins (metabolism)
• Middle Aged