Abstract
Context
Apo A-I Leu75Pro is a rare hereditary form of amyloidosis that mainly involves the kidney, the liver, and the testis.
Objective
To define the characteristics of organ damage and testis impairment in the largest cohort collected to date of men with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis.
Design, Setting, and Patients
Retrospective study from a prospectively collected database of 129 male subjects >18 years with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis from a reference center at the University Hospital of Brescia, Italy.
Main outcome measures
We evaluated liver and renal function, scrotal ultrasound, reproductive hormone levels, testis biopsy, hypogonadal symptoms, and fertility.
Results
Progressive involvement of testis, kidney, and liver was observed in 96/129 (74.4%) cases. Testis impairment was found in 88/129 patients (68.2%), liver in 59 (45.7%) and renal in 50 (38.8%). Testis damage was often the first manifestation of the disease and the only dysfunction in 30% of younger patients (<38 years). Testicular involvement was characterized mainly by primary (73/88 patients, 83.0%) and subclinical (8/88, 9.1%) hypogonadism. Almost all (85/88, 96.6%) also had high follicle-stimulating hormone, suggesting a primary global damage of endocrine and spermatogenic functions, and 30% of them did not conceive. Macroorchidism was found in 53/88 (60.2%) patients, especially in men <54 years (30/33, 90.9%). Apo A-I amyloid deposits were found in Sertoli cells, germinal epithelium, and vessel walls.
Conclusion
In men with Apo A-I Leu75Pro amyloidosis, testicular involvement is the hallmark of the disease, characterized by global primary testicular dysfunction and macroorchidism due to amyloid deposits.
Remodeling Alzheimer-amyloidosis models by seeding
