Identification of methylated CpG motifs as inhibitors of the immune stimulatory CpG motifs

Sequence motifs in adenoviral DNA block immune activation by stimulatory CpG motifs.

Unmethylated CpG dinucleotides in particular base contexts (CpG-S motifs) are relatively common in bacterial DNA but are rare in vertebrate DNA. B cells and monocytes have the ability to detect such CpG-S motifs that trigger innate immune defenses with production of Th1-like cytokines. Despite comparable levels of unmethylated CpG dinucleotides, DNA from serotype 12 adenovirus is immune-stimula...

DNA containing CpG motifs induces angiogenesis.

New blood vessel formation in the cornea is an essential step in the pathogenesis of a blinding immunoinflammatory reaction caused by ocular infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV). By using a murine corneal micropocket assay, we found that HSV DNA (which contains a significant excess of potentially bioactive "CpG" motifs when compared with mammalian DNA) induces angiogenesis. Moreover, synth...

CpG motifs in bacterial DNA delay apoptosis of neutrophil granulocytes.

Human neutrophil granulocytes die rapidly, and their survival is contingent upon rescue from programmed cell death by signals from the environment. We now show that a novel signal for delaying neutrophil apoptosis is unmethylated CpG motifs prevalent in bacterial DNA (CpG- DNA). Human neutrophils express toll-like receptor 9 that recognizes these motifs. CpG-DNA, but not mammalian DNA or methyl...

Containing CpG Motifs Induces Meningitis Intracisternally Localized Bacterial DNA

DEAF1 Binds Unmethylated and Variably Spaced CpG Dinucleotide Motifs

DEAF1 is a transcriptional regulator associated with autoimmune and neurological disorders and is known to bind TTCG motifs. To further ascertain preferred DEAF1 DNA ligands, we screened a random oligonucleotide library containing an "anchored" CpG motif. We identified a binding consensus that generally conformed to a repeated TTCGGG motif, with the two invariant CpG dinucleotides separated by ...