CpG oligodeoxynucleotides discriminately enhance binding capacity of human naïve B cells to Hepatitis B virus epitopes

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) have the potential to enhance the antigen-presenting cells function of human naive B cells. In this study, we aim to define the effect of CpG ODNs on the binding capacity of human naive B cells for different Hepatitis B virus (HBV) epitopes. Three HLA-A2 restricted epitopes were selected to incubate with CpG ODN-primed human naive B cells. Binding capacity for each epitope and expression of CD80, CD86, class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and class II MHC of naive B cells was tested, respectively, by flow cytometry. CpG ODNs, especially ODN 2216, enhanced the binding capacity of human naive B cells for HBV epitopes (p < 0.01), and induced markedly higher expression of CD80, CD86, class I MHC, and class II MHC. The binding capacity of CpG-treated naive B cells for each epitope was significantly different. In all the 3 subjects, CpG ODN 2216-primed naive B cells showed the highest binding ability for Env172–180 compared with the other epitopes with a high expre...