Repeated Administration of Synthetic Oligodeoxynucleotides Expressing CpG Motifs Provides Long-Term Protection against Bacterial Infection |
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Authors: | Dennis M. Klinman Jackie Conover Cevahir Coban |
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Affiliation: | Section of Retroviral Immunology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland. Klinman@CBER.FDA.GOV |
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Abstract: | Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) expressing unmethylated CpG motifs stimulate an innate immune response characterized by the production of polyreactive immunoglobulin M antibodies and immunomodulatory cytokines. This immune response has been shown to protect mice from challenge by Listeria monocytogenes and Francisella tularensis for up to 2 weeks. By repeatedly administering CpG ODN two to four times/month, we found that this protection could be maintained indefinitely. Protection was associated with a significant increase in the number of spleen cells that could be triggered by subsequent pathogen exposure to secrete gamma interferon and interleukin-6 in vivo (P < 0.01). ODN-treated animals remained healthy and developed neither macroscopic nor microscopic evidence of tissue damage or inflammation. Thus, repeated administration of CpG ODN may provide a safe means of conferring long-term protection against infectious pathogens. |
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