Moreover, ICAM-1 is subsequently shed by cells and is detected in plasma as soluble (s)ICAM-1, and is found to be increased in many pathological conditions, including malignancies (e.g., melanoma and lymphomas), many inflammatory disorders (e.g., asthma and autoimmune disorders), atherosclerosis, ischemia, certain neurological disorders, and allogeneic organ transplantation (van de Stolpe and van der Saag 1996). This evidence concerns the gene ICAM1 and asthma.