Systemic AA amyloidosis caused by inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma

Abstract

To the Editor: Amyloid A (AA) systemic amyloidosis is a complication of chronic inflammatory diseases that is caused by the deposition of insoluble aggregates of cleaved N-terminal fragments of serum amyloid A (SAA) protein in tissues and organs throughout the body. Under physiologic conditions, SAA protein is produced by hepatocytes during the acute inflammatory phase in response to various cytokines such as interleukin-6. SAA is also overexpressed by neoplastic hepatocytes in inflammatory hepatocellular adenomas, a specific molecular subtype of benign liver tumors.