Amyloidosis News features Proteomics Facility

Leukaemia Foundation's Amyloidosis Autumn 2016 newsletter features an article by Dorothy Loo from the TRI Proteomics Core Facility. The article looks at the proteomics assay services currently being tested by clinicians at the Princess Alexandra Amyloidosis Centre (PAAC).

Extract

The Princess Alexandra Amyloidosis Centre (PAAC) in Brisbane is currently testing a novel proteomics assay which has been used at the Mayo Clinic in the United States and which can diagnose and classify amyloidosis with great accuracy. The importance of early and accurate diagnosis and typing is critical.

The treatments depend on the type of amyloidosis and the organs affected, as well as on the patient’s condition, age, and personal preference. If not treated in a timely manner, amyloid deposits will continue to damage tissues and may result in organ failure and death.

Why is amyloidosis so difficult to classify?

Amyloidosis is a group of diseases which present with tissue and organ damage caused by abnormal but non-cancerous protein deposits. Treatment of amyloidosis requires the reduction of these protein deposits in the body, however this is not an easy process as there are over 20 different amyloidosis causing proteins.

Each protein is involved with a different type of amyloidosis and requires a different treatment. Treating patients for the wrong type of amyloidosis can be detrimental to the health of an already ill person. Therefore, it is essential that treatment only be implemented after the correct amyloidosis type has been
determined.

Misdiagnosis can occur because amyloidosis is a very rare disorder and
the different types of amyloidosis can present with a similar clinical picture.
In addition, diagnosis with traditional laboratory tests is difficult as reagents
normally used to identify different proteins are ineffective against
abnormally folded proteins in amyloid plaques.

> Download the newsletter here