SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

NOD2

Crohn's disease (IBD1) is the most common form of chronic inflammatory bowel disease alongside ulcerative colitis (UC) and occurs in Central Europe with an incidence of around 1:3,000. While the inflammation in ulcerative colitis is limited to the rectum and parts of the colon, Crohn's disease can affect the entire digestive tract. The differential diagnosis is often difficult. Studies have shown a link between Crohn's disease and variants in the CARD15/NOD2 gene. The gene codes for a receptor that binds bacterial degradation products and thereby regulates the release of antibacterial peptides in the small intestine. Variants in the CARD15/NOD2 gene impair this receptor function, which means that pathogens can no longer be effectively defended against and inflammation develops.

 

Although more than 50 sequence variants in the CARD15/NOD2 gene have been described in association with IBD1, the functional polymorphisms p.(Arg702Trp), p.(Gly908Arg) and p.(Leu1007Profs*2) represent approximately 82% of CARD15/NOD2-associated cases of Crohn's disease. Overall, about 25-45% of all IBD1 patients are carriers of at least one of these three functional polymorphisms. Molecular genetic diagnostics are used for the differential diagnosis of affected patients.

 

References

Kupka et al. 2018, Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 162:139 / Noomen et al. 2009, Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 23:233 / Yazdanyar et al. 2009, Clin Chem. 55:1950 / Hugot 2006, Ann N Y Acad Sci 1072:9

GENES

NOD2
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