Hereditary, familial, and idiopathic chronic pancreatitis are not associated with polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) promoter region or the TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) gene

Purpose: Genetic alterations that are associated with acute and chronic pancreatitis remain to be identified. Methods: The authors investigated two functionally active tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promoter region polymorphisms at positions -238 and -308 and the entire coding region of the corresponding TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) gene in 54 patients with hereditary, familial, and idiopathic chronic pancreatitis who were previously tested negative for cationic trypsinogen mutations by direct DNA sequencing. Results: In three patients, we detected novel DNA variants in the TNFR1 gene that did not segregate with the disease. The genotype frequencies of the TNF promoter polymorphisms were similar between patients and controls. Conclusion: These polymorphisms are not associated with hereditary, familial, or idiopathic chronic pancreatitis.