Glucocorticoid modulation of nucleic acid-mediated immune stimulation

摘要

The present invention provides methods for minimizing or inhibiting immune responses to immunostimulatory nucleic acids by pretreating with one or more doses of a glucocorticoid prior to nucleic acid administration. The nucleic acids are typically administered using a lipid-based carrier system such as a nucleic acid-lipid particle or liposome. As a result, patients following a glucocorticoid dosing regimen advantageously benefit from nucleic acid therapy without suffering any of the immunostimulatory side-effects associated with such therapy.