title: Absence of the Kilifi mutation in the rhinovirus-binding domain of ICAM-1 in a Caucasian population.
abstract: Human rhinoviruses (HRV), responsible for approximately 60% of the common colds, are divided into two groups, according to their receptor specificity. The major group of HRVs gains access to human cells by binding to the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), whereas HRVs of the minor group use members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family for cell entry. Previous studies confirmed that the HRV-binding region of ICAM-1 is located in the amino-terminal immunoglobulin-like (Ig) domain 1, which is encoded by exon 2 of the ICAM-1 gene. An A --> T transversion in codon 29 of ICAM-1 exon 2 causes a lysine to methionine substitution (K29M), and was found at a high frequency (33.2%) in Kilifi (Kenya), as well as in other African populations. In this study we examined whether polymorphisms in exon 2 of ICAM-1 could be detected in a Caucasian population, assuming that these could be of importance in HRV binding. DNA from 100 healthy, unrelated, Belgian volunteers was obtained through a noninvasive swish-and-spit method. Using a primer set in the adjacent intron sequences, the full-length ICAM-1 exon 2 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by direct sequencing of the PCR product. No polymorphisms could be demonstrated in exon 2 of the ICAM-1 gene among all 100 tested individuals. The rhinovirus-binding Ig domain 1 of ICAM-1 seems to be a highly conserved region in the Caucasian population.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vijgen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Essche
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001530:Belgium; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1