This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Immune integrity is important for protection against infection and potentially important for the success of antitumour vaccines after transplantation. Our preliminary data shows that autologous transplant patients have significant defects in host immunity as shown by the inability to respond to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) vaccines compared to a 100% response rate in healthy donors. This suggests that immune effects are present and are independent of immunosuppressive medications required to control graft versus host disease in the allogeneic transplant setting. CpG ODNs are known to play a role in enhancing immune function of natural killer cells as well as dendritic cells and they may be important immune adjuvants. Recent human trials suggest that CpG ODNs cna be given safely to non-transplant patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Phase I testing has already established some dosing parameters and their safety. Subhuman primate data suggests taht CpG ODNs will enhance immune reconstitution after autologous translantation and will serve an an immune adjuvant to protein vaccines. Primary Objective: To establish whether CpG 7909 ODNs enhance immune function as measured by the response to KLH (neo-antigen) and tetanus (memory antigen) vaccines. Other laboratory measures of immune function will also incude monitoring lymphocytes and their subsets, and cytotoxicity assays as a measure of NK cell function. Secondary Objective: The secondary objective of this study is to determine if dose escalation, within a range of previously tested safe doses of CpG ODNs, impacts upon the primary immune readouts. GCRC personnel will be asked to administer CpGs, provide education and help will monitoring for toxicity. Blood samples will be collected for the immune readouts. This protocol will use Cell Therapy Core resources for part of the immune monitoring.
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