Immunostimulatory sequence oligonucleotides and methods of using the same

1. An immunomodulatory polynucleotide, comprising:

a) 5′-N x (TCG(N q )) y N w (X 1 X 2 CGX 2 ′X 1 ′(CG) p ) z (SEQ ID NO: 156)

wherein N are nucleosides, x=0, y=1, w=0, p=0 or 1, q=0, 1 or 2, and z=1-20, X 1 and X 1 ′ are self-complimentary nucleosides, X 2 and X 2 ′ are self-complimentary nucleosides, and wherein the 5′ T of the (TCG(N q )) y sequence is positioned at the 5′ end of the polynucleotide; and

b) a palindromic sequence at least 8 bases in length wherein the palindromic sequence comprises the first (X 1 X 2 CGX 2 ′X 1 ′) of the (X 1 X 2 CGX 2 ′X 1 ′(CG) p ) z sequences, wherein the polynucleotide is at least 15 bases in length.

2. An immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 wherein the palindromic sequence has a base composition of more than one-third A's and T's.

3. An immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 wherein the wherein the IMP comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 172, SEQ ID NO: 55, SEQ ID NO: 113, SEQ ID NO: 39, SEQ ID NO: 53, SEQ ID NO: 109, SEQ ID NO: 117, SEQ ID NO: 175, SEQ ID NO: 147, SEQ ID NO: 148, SEQ ID NO: 80, SEQ ID NO: 97, SEQ ID NO: 150, SEQ ID NO: 151, SEQ ID NO: 152, SEQ ID NO: 153, SEQ ID NO: 168, SEQ ID NO: 169, SEQ ID NO: 170, SEQ ID NO: 173, SEQ ID NO: 174, SEQ ID NO: 81, SEQ ID NO: 82, SEQ ID NO: 83, SEQ ID NO: 84, SEQ ID NO: 79, SEQ ID NO: 77, SEQ ID NO: 40, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, SEQ ID NO: 54, SEQ ID NO: 56, SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 78, SEQ ID NO: 118, SEQ ID NO: 176, SEQ ID NO: 177, SEQ ID NO: 178, SEQ ID NO: 179, and SEQ ID NO: 180.

4. An immunomodulatory composition comprising an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 .

5. A method of modulating an immune response in an individual comprising: administering to an individual an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 in an amount sufficient to modulate an immune response in said individual.

6. A method of increasing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in an individual, comprising: administering an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to according to claim 1 or 3 to said individual in an amount sufficient to increase IFN-γ in said individual.

7. A method of increasing interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in an individual, comprising: administering an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 to said individual in an amount sufficient to increase IFN-α in said individual.

8. A method of ameliorating a symptom of an infectious disease in an individual, comprising: administering an effective amount of an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 to the individual, wherein an effective amount is an amount sufficient to ameliorate a symptom of said infectious disease.

9. A method of ameliorating a symptom of an IgE-related disorder in an individual, comprising: administering an effective amount of an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 to an individual having an IgE-related disorder, wherein an effective amount is an amount sufficient to ameliorate a symptom of said IgE-related disorder.

10. An immunomodulatory composition comprising an immunomodulatory polynucleotide according to claim 1 or 3 wherein the immunomodulatory polynucleotide comprises a modification of one or more phosphate groups.

11. The immunomodulatory composition of claim 10 wherein the modification of one or more phosphate groups is a phosphorothioate linkage.

12. The immunomodulatory composition of claim 10 wherein the modification of one or more phosphate groups are phosphorothioate and phosphodiester linkages.