Types of amyloidosis

Understanding amyloidosis: Know your condition, understand your type, recognise your symptoms

Types of amyloidosis

Information about the different types of amyloidosis can feel confusing and overwhelming. As a starting point, it is important to find out which type of amyloidosis you have to make sure you can receive the most appropriate treatment and support for your condition.

“A lot of people come to our online amyloidosis group saying, ‘I don’t know what type I have’ and that can feel scary.” – Moderator of online support group

“I wish someone had just sat me down and said, ‘Here’s where you fit.’ That would’ve made a huge difference to my mental health.” – Person living with amyloidosis

What are the different types of amyloidosis?

Your doctor may have mentioned the term amyloidosis, but it is important to know that there are several different types. The three most common types are:

AL amyloidosis (amyloid light-chain amyloidosis)
AA amyloidosis (amyloid A amyloidosis)
ATTR amyloidosis (transthyretin amyloidosis)

Each type is named using the letter “A” for amyloidosis, followed by the letters of the protein that breaks apart, misfolds, and forms amyloid deposits. For example, AL is caused by abnormal light-chain proteins; AA is caused by amyloid A protein; and ATTR is caused by transthyretin protein.

The three most common types of amyloidosis are AL amyloidosis, AA amyloidosis and ATTR amyloidosis.

“A lot of people think amyloidosis is one disease. They don’t realise there’s different types and that’s scary. You feel like you're missing something really important.”

Moderator of online support group

What is AL amyloidosis?

AL amyloidosis is the most common type. It affects up to 10 in every 1 million people each year worldwide.

Cause: The body makes antibodies (your body’s natural defence force which helps to fight germs and other things such as cancer) in the bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy centre of most bones. In AL amyloidosis, a part of the antibody (called a light-chain) is misfolded. Affected light-chains misfold and form clumps which build up in different parts of the body, such as the heart.
Where it builds up: This type often affects the kidneys, heart, digestive system, and nervous system
Common symptoms: Tiredness, unexplained weight loss, and swelling

What is AA amyloidosis?

AA amyloidosis is usually caused by medical conditions linked to long-term inflammation or long-term infection in the body.

Inflammation is the body’s normal defence response to injury or infection, but in certain health conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, this defence system stays active for too long, leading to long-term inflammation.

Cause: When inflammation or infection occurs, the body produces proteins called serum amyloid A. During long-term inflammation or long-term infection, too much serum amyloid A is produced, and it builds up in tissues or organs, affecting their ability to work normally
Where it builds up: Most commonly in the kidneys, but it can also affect the liver, spleen, thyroid, heart, and digestive system.
Common symptoms: Swelling, weight loss, weakness, and kidney problems

What is ATTR amyloidosis?

Transthyretin (shortened to TTR) is a transport protein which is mainly synthesised in the liver. It carries important substances through the blood, including thyroxine (a hormone that helps control growth and development) and retinol (a type of vitamin A that helps eyesight).

Normally, TTR proteins travel around the body as a pack of four (known as a tetramer - a protein made of four parts), like four building blocks clicked tightly together. In ATTR amyloidosis, this pack becomes unstable and falls apart into single pieces (monomers). These loose pieces can misfold and stick together in the wrong way, forming clumps of amyloid deposits that can build up in the heart and other places, preventing them from working as they should and causing symptoms.

Cause: The TTR protein breaks apart into pieces, which misfold and form amyloid deposits
Where it builds up: Usually affects the heart, nervous system and soft tissue.
Common symptoms: There are two types of ATTR amyloidosis, which can cause different symptoms. You can learn more here.

“People hear amyloidosis and they don’t even realise there are different kinds. AL, ATTR, hereditary, wild-type… it’s just a mess for someone hearing it for the first time. Even the doctors use different words.”

Moderator of online support group

TTR-eiwitten die in de lever worden aangemaakt, reizen als een geheel van vier onderdelen door het lichaam en vervoeren belangrijke stoffen. Bij ATTR-amyloïdose wordt deze geheel instabiel en valt het uiteen in losse stukken. Deze losse eiwitdelen kunnen verkeerd vouwen en samenklonteren, waardoor amyloïde‑afzettingen ontstaan. Deze afzettingen kunnen zich ophopen in het hart en andere organen, waardoor ze niet goed werken en symptomen zoals pijn op de borst veroorzaken.

TTR proteins created in the liver travel around the body as a pack of four transporting important substances. In ATTR amyloidosis, this pack becomes unstable and breaks into single pieces that misfold and stick together in clumps (known as amyloid deposits). These deposits can build up in the heart and other organs, preventing them from working properly and causing symptoms like chest pain.

“I wish someone had just sat me down and said, ‘Here’s what ATTR is. Here’s where you fit. You’re not alone.’ That would’ve made a huge difference to my mental health.”

Person living with amyloidosis

Each type of amyloidosis develops for different reasons and can cause different symptoms. Therefore, it is important to find out which type of amyloidosis you have to make sure you receive the most appropriate treatment and support for your condition. There are other, less common types of amyloidosis. Click here to learn more.

[PLACEHOLDER for markets to link to local resources for people living with other types of amyloidosis]

To explore topics in other sections, click on the links below:

Managing ATTR-CM care

Recognizing early signs and symptoms of ATTR-CM can help support timely diagnosis.

Living with ATTR-CM

Recognize symptoms, adjust your daily routines, and support your well-being.

Supporting someone with ATTR-CM

Define your role, build a network, look after yourself

Further support

Explore common questions, understand key terms, pronounce complex words

References

1
Sidiqi MH, et al. Blood Cancer J. 2019;9(3):30.
2
Amyloidosis UK. Types of Amyloidosis. Available at: https://amyloidosisuk.org/about-amyloidosis/types-of-amyloidosis/ (Last accessed: March 2026).
3
Bustamante JG, Zaidi SRH. Amyloidosis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; July 31, 2023.
4
Kumar N, et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2022;17(1):278.
5
Amyloidosis Foundation. AL Amyloidosis. Available at: www.amyloidosis.org/al/ (Last accessed: March 2026).
6
Amyloidosis Foundation. AA Amyloidosis. Available at: www.amyloidosis.org/aa/ (Last accessed: March 2026).
7
Jain A, Zahra F. Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; April 27, 2023.
8
Bezerra F, et al. Front Mol Neurosci. 2020;13:592644.
9
Law S, Gillmore JD. Am J Med. 2022;135 Suppl 1:S2-S8.