Key among the up-regulated cluster of genes were those coding for G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) (HCAR2, HCAR3, FFAR2), TNFSF14 and CISH. The down-regulated gene clusters consisted of: five epigenetic factors (H1FX, HMGB2, HIST2H2AC, HIST1H1C, H1F0), genes that function in transcriptional regulation (two noncoding RNAs; RNU6–595P, ATP1B3-AS1), genes involved in the malaria pathway (THBS1, CYP1B1, SDC2) and genes involved in neutrophil-mediated immunity (LCN2, CAMP, HP, MMP8, BPI, LTF) (Fig. 2 & Supplementary Table S2). This evidence concerns the gene SDC2 and malaria.