Transthyretin-related familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy -Progress in Kumamoto, Japan (1967-2010)-

The authors reviewed contribution of Kumamoto University group to the progress of the studies on transthyretin (TTR)-related familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (TTR-related PAP) for 42 years (from 1967 to 2009) Andiade (1952) first; described a large group of patients with PAP in Portugal and Araki et al,. (1967) in second discovered similar PAP patients in Arao, Kumamoto, japan. Owing to pi ogress in biochemical and molecular genetic analyses, PAP is now believed to occur worldwide As of today, reports of about 100 different points of single or two mutations, or a deletion in the transthyretin (TTR) gene, have been published. The authors' group has made pioneer works for study of PAP in the world. The focus on therapy in amylodosis will increase sharply as an impetus in near future, and successful treatments are expected