Professional paper
Systemic amyloidosis in a cat
Ivan Conrado Šoštarić-Zuckermann
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases caused by the misfolding and accumulation of proteins in the form of beta-pleated sheets, leading to impaired function of the affected organs. In animals, amyloidosis occurs in various forms, which is reflected in the twenty-one precursor proteins described so far. Whether localized or systemic, the most common type in animals is AA amyloidosis, which is associated with chronic inflammation. AL amyloidosis, caused by light chains of immunoglobulins, occurs more frequently in humans than in animals, where it is mostly localized within plasma cell tumors. Clinical signs depend on the affected organs, with the kidneys, liver, and spleen most commonly involved, which may result in organ failure or, in the case of the liver and spleen, rupture. Diagnosis is based on macroscopic and microscopic recognition of amorphous deposits, confirmed by histochemical staining with Congo red, immunohistochemical testing, or mass spectrometry. In this review, using the case of systemic
amyloidosis in a cat that died from the consequences of liver rupture, the basic classification, as well as a brief explanation of the morphology and pathogenesis of amyloidosis, are discussed.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
332420
URI
Publication date:
20.6.2025.
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