Signal transduction induced by immunostimulatory CpG DNA

The immune recognition of unmethylated CpG motifs appears to be an example of the ability of the immune system to detect molecular patterns which are characteristic of microbes, but are not present in vertebrates. This detect ion is accomplished by the means of pattern recognition receptors (PRR). Un like some other examples of PRR, immune recognition of CpG DNA appears to r equire cell uptake and to be accomplished through an intracellular PRR syst em. This then results in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase s, culminating in the phosphorylation of transcription factors and the acti vation of transcription and translation. The rapid activation of these path ways by CpG DNA leads to the induction of protective immune responses.