Genetics of chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease causing structural and prog ressive damage resulting in permanent deficit of both the exocrine and endo crine components. Although a few risk factors for the disease are known, of which the primary one is alcohol consumption, the actual mechanisms respon sible for the initial steps and evolution of the disease are not. The disco very of mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene in patients with heredit ary pancreatitis and a high incidence of mutations in the cystic fibrosis t ransmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) in patients with chronic pan creatitis might be important clues to understanding the molecular mechanism s of this disease. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SA S.