Abstract: Objective To investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods A total of 607 type 2 diabetes patients from the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University were enrolled in this study between June 2013 and December 2014. Rs5498 (A/G K469E) and rs1799969 (G/A R241G) in the ICAM-1 gene were genotyped by using TaqMan allelic discrimination in 295 patients with DPN and 312 subjects without DPN. The distribution of these two SNPs and the genetic influence of ICAM-1 gene polymorphisms on the development of DPN were conducted. Results Genotype distributions of both SNPs were coincided with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the two groups. SNP rs1799969 (G/A R241G) in the ICAM-1 gene showed a high GG genotypic frequency at 96.8% (non DPN) and 99.0% (DPN) respectively. SNP rs5498 (A/G K469E) represented AA and AG genotypes. The values were AA 48.7%/AG 39.4% in non DPN group and AA 51.5%/AG 41.7% in DPN group. There were no significant differences in genotypic distributions and allele frequencies of SNPs rs1799969 (G/A R241G) and rs5498 (A/G K469E) between the patients with DPN group and patients without DPN group (P > 0.05). The dominant（AA+AG） /GG and additive (GG / AA) models of rs5498 (A / G K469E) were associated with higher risk of DPN (ORadjusted=1.585, 1.575 respectively, P < 0.05). To carry A allele was related to the susceptibility of DPN. There was no such association in genetic models of rs1799969 (G/A R241G) and DPN pathogenesis. Conclusion The present study provides evidence that SNP rs5498 E469K (A/G) in the ICAM-1 gene is associated with susceptibility of DPN, and the carrying A allele appears to be a risk of DPN

Key words: diabetic neuropathies, polymorphism, single nucleotide, HAN NATIONALITY, ICAM-1, rs5498(A / G K469E), rs1799969(G/A R241G)