Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat Bonn

Other

University of Massachusetts

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität

Hartmann, Gunther, Prof. Dr.

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Gunther Hartmann

Antonin De Fougerolles

Stefan Endres

Eicke Latz

Jonathan Schmid-Burgk

Katherine A Fitzgerald

Oligonucleotides bearing free, uncapped 5' phosphate group(s) are recognized by RIG-I, leading to the induction of type I IFN, IL-18 and IL-1&#x3b2; production. Bacterial RNA also induces type I IFN production. 5&#x2032; phosphate oligonucleotides and bacterial RNA can be used for inducing an anti-viral response or an anti-bacterial response, in particular, type I IFN and/or IL-18 and/or IL-1&#x3b2; production, in vitro and in vivo and for treating various disorders and diseases such as viral infections, bacterial infections, parasitic infections, tumors, allergies, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiencies and immunosuppression. Single-stranded 5&#x2032; triphosphate RNA can be used for inducing an anti-viral response, an anti-bacterial response, or an anti-tumor response, in particular, type I IFN and/or IL-18 and/or IL-1&#x3b2; production, in a target cell-specific manner.

Structure and use of 5' phosphate oligonucleotides

The present invention is directed to methods and kits for gene analysis. The methods of the invention comprise the steps of providing nucleic acid; synthesis of a single-stranded DNA that is complementary to said nucleic acid molecule by contacting the nucleic acid with a DNA polymerase, a primer and a mixture of dNTPs under conditions that allow the generation of the DNA, wherein the primer comprises a target-complementary region and wherein the dNTP mixture comprises dATP, dGTP, dCTP, dTTP and dUTP; cleaving the DNA 5' to dU sites by (i) contacting the DNA with an uracil deglycosylase to generate a basic sites at positions of dUTP incorporation in the DNA; and (ii) contacting the DNA with an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease; contacting the DNA comprising at its 5&#x2032;-end the nucleotide sequence of the primer with a ssDNA ligase to circularize the DNA; and sequencing the circularized cDNA. The kits comprise the components necessary to perform the methods of the invention.

Gene expression analysis

The present invention provides 4-nucleotide (4mer) RNA motifs that confer immunostimulatory activity, in particular, IL-12-inducing activity to a single-stranded RNA oligonucleotide. The present invention also provides single-stranded RNA oligonucleotides, including antisense RNA, with high or low immunostimulatory activity. The present invention further provides the use of the RNA oligonucleotides of the invention for therapeutic purposes.

Compositions and methods for immunostimulatory RNA oligonucleotides

Provided herein are methods of identifying and using compounds that modulate an AIM2 polypeptide-mediated immune response. Further provided herein are methods of treating disease comprising administering to a patient a compound that decreases expression of an AIM2 polypeptide. Further provided herein are methods of providing gene therapy to a patient comprising administering to the patient a gene therapy agent and a compound that decreases expression of an AIM2 polypeptide. In certain embodiments, a compound that decreases expression of an AIM2 polypeptide comprises an siRNA or an shRNA.

Intracellular DNA receptor

The present invention provides 4-nucleotide (4mer) RNA motifs that confer immunostimulatory activity, in particular, IFN-&#x3b1;-inducing activity to a RNA oligonucleotide. The present invention also provides RNA oligonucleotides, including siRNA, with high or low immunostimulatory activity. The present invention further provides the use of the RNA oligonucleotides of the invention for therapeutic purposes.

Method for determining immunostimulatory activity of RNA oligonucleotides

This invention provides oligonucleotide agents that modulate an immune response by stimulating IFN production and methods of using such agents for therapeutic treatments of mammals.

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Pullach, Germany

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