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Microbial DNA and Host Immunity pp 17–38Cite as

Signal Transduction Pathways Activated By CpG-DNA

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Abstract

Since the initial observation that bacterial DNA is recognized by and activates cells of the immune system (reviewed in 1), substantial progress has been made with respect to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved. This bears upon both sides, the immunostimulatory DNA as a ligand and the immune cell with its receptor and signaling systems. In the meantime, it has been well established that the stimulatory capacity of bacterial DNA depends on short sequences with a central, unmethylated CG, called the CpG-motif (2,3). This stimulatory information can be transferred to single-stranded oligonucleotides (ODN). So far as it is known, all stimulatory activities of bacterial DNA are reflected in such ODNs. Therefore, these single-stranded ODNs might be regarded as the active principle of immunostimulatory DNA. It is however important to note that—as worked out with sophisticated arrays of ODNs—there is a clear species specificity in respect to the sequences active in mouse vs humans. Hence, it might be speculated that double-stranded bacterial DNA represents a pool of various stimulatory sequences that are recognized by specific but species-dependent receptor systems. DNA that harbors immunostimulatory capacity owing to CpG-motifs is collectively referred to as CpG-DNA.

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  1. Hans Häcker
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  1. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Eyal Raz MD

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Häcker, H. (2002). Signal Transduction Pathways Activated By CpG-DNA. In: Raz, E. (eds) Microbial DNA and Host Immunity. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-305-7_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-305-7_3

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