CpG motifs present in bacteria DNA rapidly induce lymphocytes to secrete interleukin 6, interleukin 12, and interferon gamma.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.7.2879
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T14:44:19Z
• Authors: D M Klinman; A K Yi; S L Beaucage; J Conover; A M Krieg
• Keywords: CpG site

Bacterial infection stimulates the host to mount a rapid inflammatory response. A 6-base DNA motif consisting of an unmethylated CpG dinucleotide flanked by two 5' purines and 3' pyrimidines was shown contribute this response inducing polygonal B-cell activation. This stimulatory is 20 times more common in bacteria than higher vertebrates. The current work shows that same induces coordinated secretion interleukin (IL) 6, IL-12, interferon gamma (but not IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, or IL-10) vivo vitro. Stimulatory motifs induced B, T, natural killer cells secrete cytokine effectively did lipopolysaccharide. Thus, immune recognition bacterial may cytokine, as well antibody production characteristic innate