Background: Immunological response following renal transplantation is a result of ischemia and reperfusion injury, which increase ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 endothelial expression. Reports suggest that there are genetic variations in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 synthesis that can contribute to delayed graft function (DGF) and acute renal rejection after kidney transplantation.
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ICAM1 and VCAM1 gene polymorphisms on the early period after kidney transplantation.
Material/Methods: The study enrolled 270 Caucasian renal transplant recipients (166 males, 104 females). Methods: Genotyping of the rs5498 ICAM1 and the rs1041163 and rs3170794 VCAM1 gene polymorphisms was performed using real-time PCR.
Results: The distribution of genotypes and alleles of the studied polymorphisms in patients with DGF and without DGF showed no statistically significant differences. The risk of acute rejection was significantly higher in patients with the rs5498 ICAM1 GG genotype than in carriers of the AG and AA genotypes (OR 3.01; 95% CI 1.51–6.00, p=0.003).
Conclusions: These results suggest that ICAM1 and VCAM1 gene polymorphisms play a minor role in pathogenesis of DGF. The rs5498 ICAM1 gene polymorphism is associated with increased risk of acute rejection of kidney allografts.

Keywords: VCAM-1, Polymorphism, acute rejection, kidney allograft, ICAM-1