The role of CpG motifs in innate immunity

Pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system are able to disti nguish certain prokaryotic DNAs from vertebrate DNAs by detecting unmethyla ted CpG dinucleotides in particular base contexts ('CpG motifs'). Recent st udies have begun to define the molecular mechanisms of actions of CpG motif s and have demonstrated their stimulatory effects on leukocytes from humans and vertebrates other than mice. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG moti fs are highly effective Th1-like vaccine adjuvants through multiple routes of immunization and show promise as immunotherapeutic agents for cancer and allergic diseases.