Scientists led by Dr G Chandak from Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) with a team of doctors, Dr D Nageswara Reddy and Dr GV Rao at Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) have undertaken fresh studies to understand the genetic basis of chronic pancreatitis.

Early detection and modification of the course of chronic pancreatitis by appropriate counseling is an immediate need, according to experts. They believe that a latest study has scope to develop a genetic screening test for susceptibility of chronic pancreatitis in Indian population at an early stage.

In their earlier study, they established the genetic basis of Tropical Calcific Pancreatitis (disease unique to tropical countries) and identified the involvement of a gene SPINK1, which produces a protein, trypsin inhibitor, that inhibits the active trypsin inside Pancreas. They discovered a mutation in SPINK1 gene which may reduce the inhibitory function of the corresponding protein. From the study, the team proposed that in India, chronic pancreatitis has different generic basis and the results of research conducted abroad cannot be extrapolated for Indian population.

The activation of trypsinogen inside pancreas requires a trigger that would maintain a constant supply of active trypsin in the pancreas. This process in known to be mediated by another protein digesting enzyme Cathepsin B, a protein product of CTSB gene. Dr Chandak and his team sequenced the gene in over 300 Tropical Calcific Pancreatitis patients and compared with 330 healthy individuals, in a fresh study. They found that Cathespin B gene may act as susceptibility gene in the pathogenesis of Tropical Calcific Pancreatitis, irrespective of SPINK1 mutations.