Mass spectrometric detection of the plasma prealbumin (transthyretin) variant associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy

A plasma prealbumin variant with a methionine-for-valine substitution at position 30 is closely associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) type I. Secondary ion mass spectrometry of the tryptic digest of a carrier's prealbumin could easily detect an abnormal peptide containing the substitution besides the normal peptide. This is a sensitive and reliable method for the diagnosis of FAP.