Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 K469E polymorphism: Study of association with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), whereas sequence variations in the ICAM-1 gene could potentially be responsible for the genetic susceptibility to MS. We studied an association of MS with the 13,848A>G (K469E) polymorphism of the ICAM-1 gene in Finnish and Spanish cases and controls and affected families. An increased risk for the AA (Lys469/Lys469) genotype was found in both populations. The effect observed was found to be strongest among the HLA-DQB1*0602-positive subjects, which implies genetic heterogeneity of MS. Meta-analysis of all published datasets supports increased risk of MS for the ICAM-1 Lys469 homozygotes (relative risk = 1.3, p = 0.002). © American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2003. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.