Amyloid-enhancing factor (AEF) is a
biological "activity" that is defined in the context of
inflammation-associated amyloidogenesis (AA). When administered intravenously to mice followed by an inflammatory stimulus, such primed mice deposit substantial AA
amyloid in spleen within 36-48 h. Since experimental induction of
AEF is dependent on amyloidogenic protocols, and rapid AA
amyloid induction is dependent on
AEF, a strategy for
AEF isolation is required to break into this circular process.
AEF activity may be prepared from a variety of human forms of
amyloid that include tissue containing any of Abeta, AA, ATTR, and AL amyloids. The preparation of an
AEF extract from such human tissue is described using 4 M
glycerol, which then may be used to induce splenic AA
amyloid fibrils in mice as a source for the propagation of additional
AEF and/or for the study of amyloidogenesis. The
glycerol and AA fibril preparations are stable frozen for many years.