STABILIZED IMMUNOMODULATORY OLIGONUCLEOTIDES

摘要

The invention provides immunostimulatory oligonucleotides having at least on e CpG dinucleotide and a secondary structure at the 5' -or 3'-end. These oligonucleotides have either reduced or improved immunostimulatory propertie s. The invention establishes that 5'-terminal secondary structures affect immunostimulatory activity significantly more than those at the 3'-end. The invention also provides methods for increasing or decreasing the immunostimulatory activity of a CpG-containing nucleic acid.