Polymorphisms of the MCP-1 and HSP70-2 genes in Korean patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis

"Heat shock protein 70 in pancreatic diseases: Friend or foe"

The heat shock response in pancreatitis that is activated via HSP70 protects acinar cells through multiple simultaneous mechanisms. It inhibits trypsinogen activation and modulates NF-κB signaling to limit acinar cell injury. On the other hand, HSP70 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and is hijacked by the cellular machinery to inhibit apoptosis. Inhibition of HSP70 in pancreatic cancer by a novel compound, Minnelide, has shown considerable clinical promise.

Association between chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 gene -2518 A/G polymorphism and pancreatitis risk: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many studies have focused on the relationship between chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 gene (CCL2) -2518 A/G polymorphism and pancreatitis risk, but the results remain inconsistent. Thus, a meta-analysis was carried out to derive a more precise estimation of the association between CCL2 -2518 A/G polymorphism and pancreatitis risk.

METHODS

Relevant publications were searched in several widely used databases and six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the association between CCL2 -2518 A/G polymorphism and pancreatitis risk.

RESULTS

Significant associations between CCL2 -2518 A/G polymorphism and pancreatitis risk were observed in both overall meta-analysis (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.43-0.89 for AA versus AG + GG; OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.51-0.98 for A allele versus G allele), and acute pancreatitis subgroup (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.31-0.99 for AA versus AG + GG), especially severe acute pancreatitis subgroup when compared with controls (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.24-0.97 for AG versus GG; OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.18-0.70 for AA + AG versus GG). However, no significant pancreatitis risk variation was detected for all genetic models in the severe acute pancreatitis versus mild acute pancreatitis subgroup and the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

The CCL2 -2518 A/G polymorphism probably associates with pancreatitis risk, especially severe acute pancreatitis risk when compared with controls, with the G allele acting as a risk factor.

Genetic factors in chronic pancreatitis; implications for diagnosis, management and prognosis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a clinical situation with persisting inflammation leading to destruction of the pancreas ensuing endocrine and exocrine failure. There are 4 subtypes: hereditary, idiopathic, alcoholic and tropical pancreatitis. Genetic factors can explain a significant proportion of CP cases. The PRSS1 gene, encoding cationic trypsinogen, was found to be correlated with hereditary CP. This signalled the extensive search for other candidate genes within the trypsin pathway. Genes like SPINK1 and CTRC are associated with CP and should be considered as important contributing factors rather than causative. The search for candidate genes not part of the trypsin pathway has been less successful and the only gene consistently associated with CP is the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator. In this review we will discuss the various CP subtypes in relation to the respective genetic variants. This review will also address the implications of genetic testing in daily clinical practise.

Connections between genetics and clinical data: Role of MCP-1, CFTR, and SPINK-1 in the setting of acute, acute recurrent, and chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

Acute, acute recurrent, and chronic pancreatitis are inflammatory diseases with multifactorial pathogenic mechanisms. Genetic mutations and polymorphisms have been correlated with pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK-1) gene mutations and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) -2518A/G polymorphism with acute pancreatitis (AP), acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP), and chronic pancreatitis (CP), and to associate genetic backgrounds with clinical phenotype in these three conditions.

METHODS

One hundred eighteen AP, 64 ARP, 142 CP patients, and 88 normal controls were enrolled consecutively. We analyzed MCP-1 serum levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Polymorphism -2518 of MCP-1 and SPINK-1 N34S gene mutations were determined by PCR-restriction-fragment length polymorphism. Sequence analysis was performed when necessary. Thirty-three CFTR mutations were analyzed in CP and ARP patients using multiplex DNA testing.

RESULTS

Serum MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in all patients affected by pancreatic inflammatory diseases. Moreover, we found a significant over-representation of the MCP-1G allele in ARP patients. We found a statistically significant association of CFTR gene mutations with ARP, but not with CP. We did not find a statistically significant association of ARP or CP with the N34S SPINK-1 gene mutation. Interestingly, 39 of 64 ARP patients (61%) carried at least one genetic mutation and/or polymorphism. Five of 64 ARP patients had pancreas divisum and four of these five also carried the G allele.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of a comprehensive range of potential susceptibility variants is needed to support modeling of the effects of genes and environment in pancreatitis. As such, beyond gene mutations, the context within which those mutations exist must be considered. In pancreatitis the context includes the inflammatory response, clinical features, and exogenous factors.

Global transcriptional profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cell during classical swine fever virus infection

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is an etiologic agent that causes a highly contagious disease in pigs. Laying a foundation to solve problems in its pathogenic mechanism, microarray analysis was performed to detect the gene transcriptional profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) following infection with a Chinese highly virulent CSFV strain Shimen. Three susceptible pigs were inoculated intramuscularly with a lethal dose (1.0x10(6) TCID(50)) of CSFV. Pigs showed classical CSF signs, depletion of lymphocytes and monocytes consistent with CSFV infection, and the CSFV genome was also confirmed in the PBMC. The PBMC were isolated at 1, 3, 6 and 9 days post-inoculation (dpi). Total RNA were extracted and subjected to microarray analysis. Data showed that expression of 847 genes wherein 467 genes were known function and the remaining 380 genes were unknown function, and 541 up- and 306 down-regulation, altered after infection. There were 54, 181, 438 and 354 up- and 61, 120, 218 and 145 down-regulated genes presented on 1, 3, 6 and 9dpi, respectively. These genes were involved in immune response (14.5%), apoptosis (3.3%), signal transduction (7.6%), transcription (4.4%), metabolism (11%), transport (3.9%), development (6.8%) and cell cycle (3.7%). Results demonstrated its usefulness in exploring the pathogenic mechanisms of CSFV.

Chronic pancreatitis: genetics and pathogenesis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a persistent inflammation of the pancreas. Over the past 12 years, genetic studies of hereditary, familial, and idiopathic forms of CP have made great progress in defining the disease pathogenesis. Identification of gain-of-function missense and copy number mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) and loss-of-function variants in both the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (SPINK1) and chymotrypsinogen C (CTRC) genes has firmly established the pivotal role of prematurely activated trypsin within the pancreas in the etiology of CP. Loss-of-function variants in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) genes also increase the risk of CP. Here, we review recent developments in this rapidly evolving field, highlight the importance of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in causing the disease, and discuss the opportunities and challenges in identifying novel genetic factors that affect susceptibility/resistance to CP.