Is Dna a Good Immunogen?

DNA by itself is a weak antigen compared to macromolecules like proteins, lipids, and glycans. However, certain nucleotide sequences and structural determinants can be immunogenic. Anti-DNA Abs to specific bacterial DNA are present in healthy individuals and do not react with other bacterial or endogenous DNA (61).

What makes a good immunogen?

Immunogenicity is the ability of a molecule to solicit an immune response. There are three characteristics that a substance must have to be immunogenic: foreignness, high molecular weight and chemical complexity.

Can DNA be an antigen?

Indeed, microparticle-associated DNA represents an “ideal antigen”due to its relatively largesize [30], surface exposure providing access to B cells, relative resistance to degradation, and the abundance of associated proteins that can serve as T cell epitopes or as ligands for innate recognition receptors.