Genetic immunization is a relatively new approach to vaccination, one that has generated considerable interest for its potential to prevent or treat a number of types of disease processes. Although initial work focused on potential applications in infectious disease, it was soon recognized that the antigen–specific Th1 response typically generated by genetic immunization protocols could also be useful for the treatment of allergic disease. In this review we present a summary of genetic vaccination and the related topic of immunostimulatory DNA sequences – which we collectively designate DNA immunotherapeutics – and discuss their potential for the prevention and therapy of allergic disease.

Keywords:
Genetic vaccination, Allergy, prevention and treatment, Immunostimulatory DNA sequence, Th1, DNA immunotherapeutics, CpG
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