Hereditary pancreatitis is a rare, autosomal dominant, inherited disease characterized by recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis with the development of chronic pancreatitis and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. R122H or N29I mutation in cationic trypsinogen (protease serine 1, PRSS1) gene causes hereditary pancreatitis. R122H mutation is the most common mutation that causes pancreatitis by preventing deactivation of trypsin within the pancreas and prolonging its action. Three members of the family, the patient, her elder son, and her niece experienced recurrent attacks of pancreatitis. We analyzed five exons of the PRSS1 gene in DNA samples of five family members including her husband and younger son who were asymptomatic. We found out that four members of the family, the patient, her two sons, and her niece, had R122H mutation in the exon 3 of PRSS1 gene. Finally, we diagnosed hereditary pancreatitis in two households in the same family.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Female ; Humans ; *Mutation ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/*diagnosis/*genetics ; Pedigree ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Trypsinogen/*genetics

New insight in the field of chronic pancreatitis was provided by the discovery of protease serine 1 (PRSS1) mutation, inherited by autosomal dominant trait in hereditary pancreatitis. Serine protease inhibior, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) is a potent protease inhibitor which prevents premature intrapancreatic activation of trypsin and pancreatic autodigestion. Strong associations of SPINK1 mutation and different forms of pancreatitis were suggested. However, it is unlikely that SPINK1 mutation alone can cause chronic pancreatitis. This mutation acts as a disease-modifier or plays a role within polygenic or multifactorial models. A 23 year-old young woman with chronic pancreatitis was recently discovered to have SPINK1 N34S heterozygous mutation cosegregated with two intronic mutations, IVS1-37T>C and IVS3-69insTTTT, during the evaluation for potential cause of chronic idiopathic pancreatitis. The same mutation was identified in her mother. This is the first report in Korea suggesting that SPINK1 mutation would be a possible cause of chronic pancreatitis in a patient with familial background.
Adult ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Carrier Proteins/*genetics ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Family ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; *Mutation ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/*diagnosis/*genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed