Blockage of amyloid induction by colchicine in an animal model.

Colchicine was found to have a strong inhibitory effect on amyloid induction in an animal model. When CBA/J mice were treated with colchicine concurrently with the amyloid induction regimen, the incidence of amyloidosis was, depending upon the dosage of colchicine, significantly decreased (0.005-0.010 mg colchicine per day) or completely blocked (more than 0.015 mg colchicine per day). The colchicine treatment was effective not only when colchicine was given for the entire course of the amyloid induction regimen but also when it was given only in the late pre-amyloid or the amyloid phase of the regimen or to the recipients after the transfer of amyloid. The data suggest the colchicine is effective in blocking amyloidogenesis at its final stage(s), while it may not affect significantly amyloid already deposited in the tissue.