Distinction between Chronic Enteropathy Associated with the Gene and Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We recently identified recessive mutations in the solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2A1 gene () as causative variants of chronic nonspecific multiple ulcers of the small intestine (chronic enteropathy associated with , CEAS). The aim of this study was to investigate the gastroduodenal expression of the SLCO2A1 protein in patients with CEAS and Crohn's disease (CD).

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining for SLCO2A1 was performed with a polyclonal antibody, HPA013742, on gastroduodenal tissues obtained by endoscopic biopsy from four patients with CEAS and 29 patients with CD.

RESULTS

The expression of SLCO2A1 was observed in one of four patients (25%) with CEAS and in all 29 patients (100%) with CD (p<0.001). The three patients with CEAS without SLCO2A1 expression had a homozygous splice-site mutation in , c.1461+1G>C (exon 7) or c.940+1G>A (exon 10). The remaining one CEAS patient with positive expression of SLCO2A1 had compound heterozygous c.664G>A and c.1807C>T mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

Immunohistochemical staining for SLCO2A1 in gastroduodenal tissues obtained by endoscopic biopsy is considered useful for the distinction of CEAS from CD.