title: CpG-containing synthetic oligonucleotides promote B and cytotoxic T cell responses to protein antigen: a new class of vaccine adjuvants.
abstract: Foreign DNA has been shown to impinge on immune cell function by an as yet unidentified mechanism. We and others have demonstrated that single-stranded (ss) DNA containing the motif CpG flanked by two 5' purines and two 3' pyrimidines are mitogenic for B cells and activate macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-6 or IL-12. Because of these pro-inflammatory responses we investigated if ssDNA would serve as a potential vaccine adjuvant. Here we show that CpG-containing oligonucleotides represent a powerful adjuvant for both humoral and cellular immune responses. When ssDNA was incorporated into inocula, specific antibody titers of the IgG2 isotype were enhanced by greater than 100-fold. Primary cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses generated to either unprocessed protein antigen or major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted peptide were exceedingly strong. Evidence is also provided that oligomers directly influenced T cell receptor-triggered T cell proliferation. Thus ssDNA oligomers may serve as inexpensive and safe vaccine adjuvants and, in addition, differential effects due to sequence may allow for directed responses.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Germany. tbl01bl@sunmail.lrz-muenchen.de
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Lipford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heeg
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000276:immunology; D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000276:immunology*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D010047:Ovalbumin; C015772:CpG dinucleotide