title: CpG motifs: the active ingredient in bacterial extracts?
abstract: The use of bacteria and bacterial extracts for immunotherapy has a checkered past. Recent developments in immunology reveal that these nonspecific immune activators actually work by triggering specific receptors that are expressed by subsets of immune cells. Identification of these receptors and the molecular signaling pathways that they activate has enabled a new era of specific targeted immunotherapy using chemically synthesized mimics of pathogen molecules.
authors.affiliation: Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481, USA. akrieg@coleypharma.com
authors.forename: Arthur M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Krieg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000276:immunology; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; C495370:Tlr9 protein, mouse; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors