Amyloidogenic amylin deposits on red blood cells of stroke patients

Amylin, a 37‐residue amyloidogenic peptide, is co‐secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta‐cells (Verma et al. 2020). Vascular deposition of amylin has been noted in patients with diabetes and neurocognitive disorders (Ly et al., 2017) Emergent large vessel occlusions (ELVOs) result in severe ischemic strokes without appropriate treatment. Growth factors, including erythropoietin (EPO), are involved in post‐stroke recovery as a potential neuroprotectant target, inhibiting apoptosis and decreasing inflammation (Jerndal et al., 2010). Here, amylin accumulation in plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), and ELVOs (where available) and plasma EPO levels were compared between stroke and control patients. Due to amylin’s amyloidogenic propensity, we hypothesized that there would be an association between amylin uptake and stroke incidence.