Signal transduction induced by immunostimulatory CpG DNA.

The immune recognition of unmethylated CpG motifs appears to be an example of the ability of the immune system to detect molecular patterns which are characteristic of microbes, but are not present in vertebrates. This detection is accomplished by the means of pattern recognition receptors (PRR). Unlike some other examples of PRR, immune recognition of CpG DNA appears to require cell uptake and to be accomplished through an intracellular PRR system. This then results in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, culminating in the phosphorylation of transcription factors and the activation of transcription and translation. The rapid activation of these pathways by CpG DNA leads to the induction of protective immune responses.