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

• Published in: Malaria journal Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 115
• Main Authors: Blankson, Samuel Odarkwei, Dadjé, Danielle Seri, Traikia, Nadjla, Alao, Maroufou J, Ayivi, Serge, Amoussou, Annick, Deloron, Philippe, Ndam, Nicaise Tuikue, Milet, Jacqueline, Basco, Leonardo K, Aniweh, Yaw, Tahar, Rachida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 04.04.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Blood cells; Body organs; Cardiology and cardiovascular system; Cell adhesion; Cell adhesion & migration; cerebral malaria; Child; Children; Circulatory system; Cohorts; Coma; COVID-19; Development and progression; Emerging diseases; Erythrocyte membrane protein 1; Erythrocytes; Gene polymorphism; Genotype & phenotype; Glycoproteins; Health risks; Human diseases; Human health and pathology; Humans; ICAM-1; ICAM-1kilifi; Immunoglobulins; Infectious diseases; Intercellular adhesion molecule 1; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - genetics; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Life Sciences; Malaria; Malaria, Cerebral; Malaria, Falciparum; Malawi; Membrane proteins; Microbiology and Parasitology; Microvasculature; Mortality; Mutation; Nucleotide sequence; Parasites; Parasitology; Pathogenesis; Pathology; PCR; Physiological aspects; Plasmodium falciparum; Polymorphism; Proteins; Receptors; Statistical analysis; Vector-borne diseases; Virology; Malawi; Benin; Nigeria; Kenya; Plasmodium falciparum; ICAM-1; Malaria; cerebral malaria; ICAM-1kilifi; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 1475-2875; 1475-2875
• DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04139-0

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 , has been associated with either increased or decreased risk of developing cerebral malaria. To provide more conclusive results, the genetic polymorphism of ICAM-1 was assessed by PCR and sequencing in blood samples from 215 Beninese children who presented with either mild or severe malaria including cerebral malaria. The results showed that in this cohort of Beninese children, the ICAM-1 variant is present at the frequencies of 0.27, similar to the frequency observed in other African countries. This ICAM-1 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.