Genetic and structural aspects of amyloid diseases.

Abstract

The conversion of proteins into insoluble fibrillar aggregates known as amyloid occurs in a wide variety of diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, systemic transthyretin amyloidosis, and multisystem atrophy. There are more than 60 disease-associated amyloid-forming proteins, and amyloid formation can occur sporadically or can be induced or accelerated by genetic mutations. This Review discusses structural mechanisms by which genetic changes promote amyloid formation and thereby influence disease outcomes. By dividing amyloid-forming proteins into six types according to the genetic mutations they carry and analyzing mutation-induced structural changes in amyloid fibrils, a better understanding of inheritance patterns of amyloid diseases (amyloidoses) can be obtained.