A high-throughput sequence analysis of Japanese patients revealed 11 candidate genes associated with type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis susceptibility

• High-throughput sequencing was performed with a custom panel of 1031 genes.
• Nine candidate genetic variants were identified in patients with type 1 AIP.
• Eight candidate genetic variants were identified in patients with relapse of AIP.
• Two candidate genes were identified in patients with extra-pancreatic lesions.

The pathogenesis of autoimmune pancreatitis is unknown. In the present study we used high-throughput sequencing with next generation sequencing to identify the candidate genes associated with AIP. A total of 27 type 1 AIP patients and 30 healthy blood donors were recruited, and DNA samples were isolated from their mononuclear cells. A high-throughput sequencer with an original custom panel of 1031 genes was used to detect the genetic variants in each sample. Polymorphisms of CACNA1S (c.4642C>T), rs41554316, rs2231119, rs1042131, rs2838171, P2RX3 (c.195delG), rs75639061, SMAD7 (c.624delC) and TOP1 (c.2007delG), were identified as candidate genetic variants in patients with type 1 AIP. P2RX3 and TOP1 were significantly associated with AIP, even after adjusting bay means of Bonferroni's correction. In addition, we also identified eight candidate genetic variants that were associated with the relapse of type 1 AIP, namely: rs1143146, rs1050716, HLA-C (c.759_763delCCCCCinsTCCCG), rs1050451, rs4154112, rs1049069, CACNA1C (c.5996delC) and CXCR3 (c.630_631delGC). Finally polymorphisms of rs1050716 and rs111493987 were identified as candidate genetic variants associated with extra-pancreatic lesions in patients with type 1 AIP. These candidates might be used as markers of AIP susceptibility and could contribute to the pathogenesis of type 1 AIP.