title: CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide protects immune cells from gamma-irradiation-induced cell death.
abstract: Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) and bacterial DNA containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides in the context of particular base sequences (CpG motifs) are known to inhibit anti-IgM-induced growth arrest and apoptosis of WHEI 231 B lymphocytes, and spontaneous apoptosis of mature spleen B cells in a sequence-specific fashion of the CpG-ODN. Here we report that CpG-ODN protects from the cell death induced by gamma-irradiation of primary mouse spleen cells as well as mouse RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and human RPMI 8226 B cells. Experimental results showed that CpG-ODN promotes growth of the cells, and protects the cells from gamma-irradiation-induced cell death accompanying Bcl-xS/L and Bcl-2 upregulation. Furthermore, survival of macrophages was enhanced when splenocytes were pretreated with CpG-ODN. Our results suggest the potential application of CpG-ODNs for more efficient cancer radiotherapy by enhancing survival of normal immune cells after radiation damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, 39 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Wern-Joo
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Keun-Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Younghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae Yoon
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suk Kyeong
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong-Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Jeung-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Doo-Sik
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein