ICAM-1 ^Kilifi variant is not associated with cerebral and severe malaria pathogenesis in Beninese children

Background: Cytoadhesion and sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells (iRBC) in the microvasculature of vital organs are a major cause of malaria pathology. Several studies have provided evidence on the implication of the human host intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) as a major receptor for iRBCs binding to P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) in the development of severe and cerebral malaria. The genetic polymorphism K29M in the immunoglobulin-like domain of ICAM-1, known as ICAM-1^Kilifi, has been associated with either increased or decreased risk of developing cerebral malaria.

Methods: To provide more conclusive results, the genetic polymorphism of ICAM-1^Kilifi was assessed by PCR and sequencing in blood samples from 215 Beninese children who presented with either mild or severe malaria including cerebral malaria.

Results and conclusions: The results showed that in this cohort of Beninese children, the ICAM-1^kilifi variant is present at the frequencies of 0.27, similar to the frequency observed in other African countries. This ICAM-1^kilifi variant was not associated with disease severity in agreement with other findings from the Gambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Gabon, and Thailand, suggesting no evidence of a direct link between this polymorphism and the pathogenesis of severe and cerebral malaria.