A CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotide is an efficient diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine adjuvant

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January 26, 2006

A CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotide is an efficient

diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine adjuvant

By

NewsRx.com

According to recently published research from Japan, a CpG-containing

oligodeoxynucleotide is an efficient adjuvant counterbalancing the Th1/Th2

immune response in diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DPT) vaccine.

" Adjuvants in vaccines are immune stimulants that play an important role in

the induction of effective and appropriate immune responses to vaccine

component(s). DPT vaccine contains not only aluminum hydrate (alum) to

enhance the immune response to the vaccine ingredients, but also, both for

that purpose and as a principal ingredient, pertussis toxin (PT), " wrote T.

Sugai and colleagues, Yokohama City University School of Medicine.

" However, both adjuvants strongly promote T helper (Th) 2 type immune

responses. Th1 and Th2 type immune responses are counterbalanced in vivo,

and a Th2-prone immune response is not effective against intracellular

infections but promotes IgE production, which is related to allergic

disease. "

" In this study, " the investigators explained, " we used the CpG motif

contained in oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN), which has an adjuvant effect

and also induces the Th1 response, as an adjuvant to this vaccine, and we

investigated its adjuvanticity and its potential to modulate immune

responses to DPT vaccine. "

" Administration of DPT vaccine with CpG-ODN (DPT-alum/ODN) to mice

significantly reduced the total IgE levels and increased the anti-PT

specific IgG2a titer in serum, in comparison with ordinary DPT vaccine

(DPT-alum). Moreover, we investigated the antibody response to orally

administrated ovalbumin (OVA) after vaccine administration. In the

DPT-alum/ODN-administered group, the OVA specific IgE production in serum

greatly decreased in comparison with that in the DPT-alum-administered

group. "

" These data indicate that CpG-ODN was not useful only as an efficient

vaccine adjuvant but also shifted the immune responses substantially toward

Th1 and modulated the Th1/Th2 immune response in DPT vaccine, " reported the

authors.

They concluded, " These data suggested new applications of CpG-ODN as

adjuvants in DPT vaccine. "

Sugai and colleagues published their study in Vaccine (A CpG-containing

oligodeoxynucleotide as an efficient adjuvant counterbalancing the Th1/Th2

immune response in diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine. Vaccine,

2005;23(46-47):5450-5456).

For additional information, contact T. Sugai, Department of Pediatrics,

Yokohama City University School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku,

Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan.

The publisher's contact information for the journal Vaccine is: Elsevier

Science Ltd., the Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB,

Oxon, England.

Keywords: Kanagawa, Japan, Adjuvants, CpG motif, Oligodeoxynucleotides,

Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine, Th1/Th2. This article was prepared by

Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Biotech

Week via NewsRx.com.

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