Design and development of nanosized DNA assemblies in polypod-like structures as efficient vehicles for immunostimulatory CpG motifs to immune cells.

The immunostimulatory activity of phosphodiester DNA containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides, or CpG motifs, was significantly increased by the formation of Y-, X-, or dendrimer-like multibranched shape. These results suggest the possibility that the activity of CpG DNA is a function of the structural properties of branched DNA assemblies. To elucidate the relationship between them, we have designed and developed nanosized DNA assemblies in polypod-like structures (polypod-like structured DNA, or polypodna for short) using oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing CpG motifs and investigated their structural and immunological properties.

Biodegradable CpG DNA hydrogels for sustained delivery of doxorubicin and immunostimulatory signals in tumor-bearing mice.

Immunostimulatory CpG DNA was self-assembled to form DNA hydrogels for use as a sustained delivery system for both intercalated doxorubicin (DXR) and immunostimulatory CpG motifs for cancer treatment. X-shaped DNA (X-DNA) was designed as a building unit, and underwent ligation to form DNA hydrogels. Two types of X-DNA were constructed using four oligodeoxynucleotides each, one containing six potent CpG motifs (CpG X-DNA) and the other with none (CpG-free X-DNA).

Structural and immunostimulatory properties of Y-shaped DNA consisting of phosphodiester and phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides.

Y-shape formation increased the immunostimulatory activity of phosphodiester (PO) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing CpG motif. In this study, PO CpG ODN or CpG ODN containing nuclease-resistant phosphorothioate (PS) linkages, i.e.

Understanding externalizing behavior from children's personality and parenting characteristics.

A total of 946 Japanese children in the 5th to 9th grades and their parents were studied in order to investigate the extent to which parenting characteristics (measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument) and the personality of the child (measured by the junior version of the Temperament and Character Inventory) would be associated with the two aspects of the externalizing problems--aggression and delinquency--of the child (measured by the Child Behavior Checklist). A series of regression analyses demonstrated that (1) aggressive children were higher in Novelty Seeking, and delinquent children were higher in Novelty Seeking and lower in Harm Avoidance, and (2) both aggressive and delinquent children were characterised by low maternal care, paternal over-protection, and low maternal overprotection. A structural equation model confirmed these findings except for the link between the two externalizing behaviour scores and the maternal care.

Enhanced immunostimulatory activity of oligodeoxynucleotides by Y-shape formation.

DNA containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides (CpG DNA) is a potent activator of innate and acquired immune responses. Although the sequence-specific immunostimulatory activity of CpG DNA has been extensively explored, little information is available about the importance of the stereochemical properties of CpG DNA. In this study, Y-shaped oligodeoxynucleotides (Y-ODNs) were prepared using three ODNs with the halves of each ODN being partially complementary to a half of the other two ODNs.