Causing a commotion in the blood: immunotherapy progresses from bacteria to bacterial DNA

Abstract

The vertebrate immune system recognizes bacterial DNA as foreign based on its content of unmethylated CpG motifs. The detection of CpG motifs by the innate immune system induces immune responses that are strongly Th1-biased. These responses can be mimicked using synthetic oligonucleotides, which have shown significant effects as vaccine adjuvants and as immunotherapeutics for treatment of cancer and allergic conditions in model systems.