Monitoring of Early Disease Progression in Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis

Recent advances in genetic testing have allowed for pathogenic mutation identification in family members of affected individuals prior to onset of symptoms. While the presence of mutation and the corresponding TTR kinetic stability have been directly linked to disease development, the molecular drivers of tissue specific degeneration have not been defined. We hypothesize that soluble misfolded TTR oligomer species may be circulating within the blood of these patients possibly years prior to amyloid deposition and could serve as an early biomarker and/or driver for disease development. In this line, The Scripps Research Institute has developed a peptide-based probe that specifically labels and integrates into misfolded TTR oligomers allowing the relative circulating concentration in the bloodstream to be determined. Longitudinal monitoring of untreated, asymptomatic TTR amyloid genetic carriers utilizing the Scripps probe is likely to provide novel insight into early disease progression. We also plan to utilize the Scripps probe to monitor disease progression in TTR amyloid genetic carriers currently undergoing treatment by observing how treatments affect the circulating misfolded TTR oligomers. Through enhanced understanding of early disease progression and treatment efficacy, our hope is to limit amyloid accumulation in cardiac and nerve tissue and delay the development of the invariably fatal TTR amyloid cardiomyopathy/neuropathy.