Distinction between Chronic Enteropathy Associated with the SLCO2A1 Gene and Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We recently identified recessive mutations in the solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2A1 gene (SLCO2A1) as causative variants of chronic nonspecific multiple ulcers of the small intestine (chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2A1, 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 SLCO2A1, 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.