CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides, in combination with conventional adjuvants, enhance the magnitude and change the bias of the immune responses to a herpesvirus glycoprotein.

Vaccine adjuvants must have the capacity to increase protective immune responses with minimal side effects. Conventional adjuvants not only cause undesirable tissue site reactions, but often induce T-helper type 2 (Th2)-biased responses which may be undesirable in certain disease scenarios. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides (CpG ODN) are novel adjuvants known to promote Th1-type immune responses. In this study, we compared various mineral oil, metabolizable oil and non-oil adjuvants alone and in combination with CpG ODN for their ability to augment immune responses to a truncated secreted form of bovine herpesvirus (BHV) glycoprotein D (tgD). All adjuvants tested induced Th2-biased immune responses characterized by a predominance of serum IgG1 as well as interleukin-4 (IL-4) production by in vitro stimulated splenocytes. The inclusion of CpG ODN in these formulations not only increased immune responses, but more importantly enhanced serum IgG2a levels and production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by splenocytes, indicating a more balanced or Th1-type response. The use of a mineral oil-based adjuvant at reduced doses in combination with CpG ODN attenuated the tissue damage while not compromising the magnitude of the immune response in both mice and sheep. In addition, reduced amounts of mineral oil combined with CpG ODN induced a more balanced Th1/Th2 immune response than the mineral oil used alone. Our results clearly demonstrate that CpG ODN can be used to enhance magnitude and balance of an immune response while reducing the amount of mineral oil and hence undesirable side effects of vaccine adjuvants.