oligodeoxynucleotides Containing CpG Motifs Induce Low Levels of TNF-#alpha# in Human B Lymphocytes:Possible Adjuvants for Th1 Responses

摘要

Oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motifs (CpG-ODN) represent potential adjuvants for specific immunotherapy of type I allergies because they foster Thi-like immune responses. However, previous work has shown that CpG-ODN induce systemically active levels of TNF-a in murine macrophages. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the release of TNF-a in human cells by a CpG-ODN proven to induce Thi immune responses in cells from atopic individuals and in mice. CpG-ODN induced TNF-c~ m cells from atopic and healthy individuals. However, the amounts were low, as determined by comparison with commonly used Ags. Intracellular cytokine staining of PBMC revealed that CpG-ODN-induced TNF-a derived exclusively from B lymphocytes. 1NF-a contributed to the CpG-ODN-augmented proliferation and Ig synthesis in PBMC, but was not involved in IFN-y synthesis. In conclusion, our findings indicate that certain CpG-ODN induce low amounts of TNF-a in human B lymphocytes and maytherefore be used to modulate Th2-biased immune responses inallergic patients.