Antitumor Activity of cGAMP via Stimulation of cGAS-cGAMP-STING-IRF3 Mediated Innate Immune Response

Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 12:6:19049. doi: 10.1038/srep19049.

Abstract

Immunotherapy is one of the key strategies for cancer treatment. The cGAS-cGAMP-STING-IRF3 pathway of cytosolic DNA sensing plays a pivotal role in antiviral defense. We report that the STING activator cGAMP possesses significant antitumor activity in mice by triggering the STING-dependent pathway directly. cGAMP enhances innate immune responses by inducing production of cytokines such as interferon-β, interferon-γ, and stimulating dendritic cells activation, which induces the cross-priming of CD8(+) T cells. The antitumor mechanism of cGAMP was verified by STING and IRF3, which were up-regulated upon cGAMP treatment. STING-deficiency dramatically reduced the antitumor effect of cGAMP. Furthermore, cGAMP improved the antitumor activity of 5-FU, and clearly reduced the toxicity of 5-FU. These results demonstrated that cGAMP is a novel antitumor agent and has potential applications in cancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Fluorouracil / toxicity
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects*
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nucleotides, Cyclic / pharmacology*
  • Nucleotidyltransferases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytokines
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-3
  • Irf3 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nucleotides, Cyclic
  • Sting1 protein, mouse
  • cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate
  • Nucleotidyltransferases
  • cGAS protein, mouse
  • Fluorouracil