Abstract
Repetitive TTAGGG motifs present at high frequency in mammalian telomeres can suppress Th1-mediated immune responses. Synthetic oligonucleotides (ODN) containing TTAGGG motifs mimic this activity and have proven effective in the prevention/ treatment of certain Th1-dependent autoimmune diseases. This work explores the mechanism by which suppressive ODN block the induction of Th1 immunity. Findings indicate that these ODN inhibit IFN-γ-induced STAT1 phosphorylation and IL-12-induced STAT3 and STAT4 phosphorylation. As a result, T-bet expression is reduced as is the maturation of naive CD4+ cells into Th1 effectors. These changes indirectly support the generation of Th2-dominated immune responses. Suppressive ODN may thus represent a novel approach to influence the Th1:Th2 balance in vivo.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 5002-5007 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Immunology |
Volume | 173 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2004 Oct 15 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology