Abstract
Keratins are the major amyloid fibril component in localized cutaneous amyloidosis. We analyzed the amyloid components in the skin of patients with localized cutaneous amyloidosis by immunohistochemical staining using antisera against extracellular matrix proteins and keratin 5 (K5). Fibulin-4 and K5 colocalized in the amyloid deposits. Using 14 synthetic peptides, we screened for amyloidogenic sequences in the C-terminal region of K5, including the α-helical rod domain and the tail domain. Two peptides stained with thioflavin T possessed a β-sheet structure and formed amyloid-like fibrils. Among the amyloidogenic peptides, a peptide KT5-6 (YQELMNTKLALDVEIATYRKLLEGE) derived from the α-helical rod domain of K5 specifically bound to fibulin-4. In addition, amyloid formation of KT5-6 was accelerated by fibulin-4. These results suggest that degraded fragments of K5 containing the KT5-6 sequence form amyloid fibrils with fibulin-4. The data further suggest that degraded fragments of K5 and fibulin-4 have the potential to initiate cutaneous amyloidosis.