Immunostimulatory sequence oligonucleotides and methods of using the same

Abstract

The invention provides immunomodulatory polynucleotides and methods for immunomodulation of individuals using the immunomodulatory polynucleotides.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An immunomodulatory polynucleotide, comprising: 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 38) 
                 
                     
                   5′TTCGAACGTTCGAACGTTCGAAT-3′, 
                 
             
                
                
               
            
           
         
         wherein the polynucleotide comprises at least one phosphorothioate linkage. 
       
     
     
         11 . The immunomodulatory polynucleotide of  claim 10 , wherein all nucleotide linkages are phosphorothioate linkages. 
     
     
         12 . The immunomodulatory polynucleotide of  claim 10 , wherein at least one nucleoside comprises a modified base. 
     
     
         13 . The immunomodulatory polynucleotide of  claim 12 , wherein the modified base is 7-deazaguanine or 7-deaza-8-azaguanine. 
     
     
         14 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and the immunomodulatory polynucleotide of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of modulating an immune response in a human comprising: administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 14  to the human in an amount sufficient to modulate an immune response in the human. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the human is receiving a prophylactic vaccine or a therapeutic vaccine. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the therapeutic vaccine comprises tumor associated antigens and/or tumor cells. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises administration of one or more additional therapeutic agents. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more additional therapeutic agents comprise an anti-tumor antibody, and the anti-tumor antibody is a monoclonal anti-tumor antibody, fragment, or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more additional therapeutic agents comprise an immunotherapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of cytokines, adjuvants and antibodies. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more additional therapeutic agents is selected from the group consisting of anti-tumor antibodies, chemotherapy regimens and radiation treatments. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the anti-tumor antibodies comprise rituximab or trastuzumab. 
     
     
         23 . A method of increasing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in a human, comprising: administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 14  to the human in an amount sufficient to increase IFN-γ in the human. 
     
     
         24 . A method of increasing interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in a human, comprising: administering the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 14  to the human in an amount sufficient to increase IFN-α in the human.