The number of tandem repeats in the carboxyl-ester lipase (CEL) gene as a risk factor in alcoholic and idiopathic chronic pancreatitis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the last exon of the carboxyl-ester lipase (CEL) gene has been reported to associate with alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis (ACP) in a Japanese study. Here, we have investigated the association between the number of CEL VNTR repeats and ACP or idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (ICP) in a cohort of German patients.

METHODS:

Patients diagnosed with ACP (n = 203) or ICP (n = 64) were genotyped using a screening method consisting of PCR followed by DNA fragment analysis. The allele frequencies of different CEL VNTR lengths were compared to the frequencies in healthy controls (n = 390).

RESULTS:

We observed no statistical significant associations between CEL VNTR allele frequencies and ACP or ICP.

CONCLUSION:

This study did not find evidence that supported an association between the common length variations of the CEL VNTR and chronic pancreatitis.

• Authors: Anja Ragvin, Karianne Fjeld, F Ulrich Weiss, Janniche Torsvik, Ali Aghdassi, Julia Mayerle, Peter Simon, Pål R Njølstad, Markus M Lerch, Stefan Johansson, Anders Molven
• Journal: Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.] (Pancreatology) 2013 Jan-Feb Vol. 13 Issue 1 Pg. 29-32 ISSN: 1424-3911 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 23395566 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• CEL protein, human
• Lipase

Topics

• Alcoholism (complications, genetics)
• Cohort Studies
• Gene Frequency
• Germany
• Humans
• Lipase (genetics)
• Pancreatitis, Chronic (genetics)
• Risk Factors