Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) K469E polymorphism: no association with type 1 diabetes among Finns

The intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has an important role in the process of lymphocyte migration and activation, and is supposed to be invo lved in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. We studied A/G (K469E) polymor phism of the ICAM-1 gene in 218 type 1 diabetes patients and 212 controls f rom Finland and found no association. We then studied transmission of the I CAM-1 alleles in 102 Finnish families using a transmission disequilibrium t est (TDT), Alleles A and G were transmitted to the affected offspring in 50 % each. Stratification by the HLA-DQB1-DQA1 genotypes, sex and age at onset did not reveal association. Our data demonstrate that in the Finnish popul ation K469E polymorphism of the ICAM-1 gene is not associated with type 1 d iabetes.