Fibrinogen Act chain mutation (Arg554 Leu) associated with hereditary renal amyloidosis in a French family

Abstract

A French family with hereditary renal amyloidosis (HRA) was studied. The disease presented in 7 of the 8 affected individuals with proteinuria or the nephrotic syndrome. The age of onset was in the fifth decade of life. There is currently no sign of extrarenal involvement in any affected individual. However, the nephropathy in this family is progressive and led to terminal renal failure in 4 patients. Immunohistochemistry studies of glomerular amyloid deposits suggested that the amyloid protein was the fibrinogen A α chain. Direct DNA sequencing revealed a G 4993 T transversion and subsequently Arg 554 Leu mutation in the fibrinogen Aa chain. This is the first description of this fibrinogen Aα chain mutation in Europe. This family is of French descent and cannot be related to the previously reported Peruvian/Mexican and African-American kindreds.