In conclusion, these results are compatible with an asso- ciation between genetic stabilization of transthyretin and decreased risk of cerebrovascular disease, but need to be con- firmed in other large studies.

Acknowledgments

We thank Mette Refstrup and Teresa Rozenfeld for expert tech- nical assistance. We are indebted to the staff and participants of the Copenhagen City Heart Study and the Copenhagen General Population Study for their important contributions.

Other studies have pointed to a general role for transthyretin in neurobiology and repair.3,35 More specifically, transthyre- tin has been suggested to be an important factor in response to brain ischemia; however, human evidence is lacking.36 Although the association with cerebrovascular disease in our study seems to be attributable mainly to a reduced risk of isch- emic cerebrovascular disease, firm conclusions regarding the effect on hemorrhagic stroke cannot be based on the relatively limited number of individuals with this endpoint.

Sources of Funding

This work was supported by the Danish Medical Research Council (grant no. 09-065553), the Lundbeck Foundation, the Research Fund at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Chief Physician Johan Boserup and Lise Boserup’s fund, Aase and Ejnar Danielsens grant, Ingeborg and Leo Dannin’s grant, Henry Hansen and Wife’s grant, and a grant from the Order of Odd Fellows; all from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dietary factors, such as resveratrol (active component in red grapes/red wine), curcumin (major bioactive polyphenol of turmeric), and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (most abundant catechin in green tea), have been shown to be able to stabilize transthyretin and, perhaps even, inhibit transthyretin amyloid deposition in vitro and in animal studies.37–40 Positive results from human trials have also been reported.41 Therefore, one can speculate that the beneficial effects observed with high or moderately high dietary intake of these compounds may be partly through their stabilizing effect on transthyretin.

None.

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