PRSS1 copy number variants and promoter polymorphisms in pancreatitis: common pathogenetic mechanism, different genetic effects

We have read with interest three related papers that were recently published in this journal.1–3 Taken together, the findings reported in these papers (summarised in online ) suggest that loss-of-function PRSS1 promoter variants can protect against pancreatitis. The other side of the coin is however that gain-of-function PRSS1 promoter variants predispose to pancreatitis. It therefore follows that the risk-associated [rs4726576C; rs10273639C] allele shares a common pathogenetic mechanism with the previously reported trypsinogen duplication and triplication copy number variants (CNVs)4 5 as both types of variant predispose to pancreatitis by increasing PRSS1 expression; this mechanism is quite distinct from either the increased activation and/or stability of trypsin(ogen) or misfolding-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by disease-associated PRSS1 missense mutations.6 However, despite both serving to increase PRSS1 expression, the promoter variant and the CNVs differ significantly in terms of the relative...

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