Therapeutically useful synthetic oligonucleotides

A composition, comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting SEQ ID NOs:

• 7-18, 23-47, 50-66, and 81-83 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method, wherein a composition comprising a 2-20 base 3′-OH, 5′-OH synthetic sequence selected from the group consisting of (GxTy)n, (TyGx)n, a(GxTy)n, a(TyGy)n, (GxTy)nb, (TyGx)nb, a(GxTy)nb, a(TyGx)nb, wherein x and y is an integer between 1 and 7, n is an integer between 1 and 12, a and b are one or more As, Cs, Gs or Ts and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered to an animal having cancer in an amount effective to induce a response selected from the group consisting of induction of cell cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, activation of caspases and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and production of cytokines by immune system cells.

A method, wherein a composition comprising a 2-20 base 3′-OH, 5″-OH synthetic sequence selected from the group consisting SEQ ID NOs:

• 7-18, 23-47, 50-66, and 81-83 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered to an animal having cancer in an amount effective to induce a response selected from the group consisting of induction of cell cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, activation of caspases and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and production of cytokines by immune system cells.

A method, wherein a composition comprising a 2-20 base 3′-OH, 5′-OH synthetic sequence selected from the group consisting of (GxTy)n, (TyGx)n, a(GxTy)n, a(TyGy)n, (GxTy)nb, (TyGx)nb, a(GxTy)nb, a(TyGx)nb, wherein x and y is an integer between 1 and 7, n is an integer between 1 and 12, a and b are one or more As, Cs, Gs or Ts and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered to an animal having cancer in an amount effective to treat the cancer in the animal.

A method, wherein a composition comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

• 7-18, 23-47, 50-66, and 81-83 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered to an animal having cancer in an amount effective to treat the cancer in the animal.