MMP10 and cerebral malaria: It also has been shown that CR1 is a RBC receptor used by Plasmodium falciparum for cell invasion, independent of sialic acid.39 Consistently with this hypothesis, Sl2 (rs17047661) was previously associated with protection against cerebral malaria in sub-Saharan African populations, which resulted in much higher prevalence of Sl2 in African-descent individuals compared to Europeans.