Abstract
The host takes use of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to defend against pathogen invasion or cellular damage. Among microorganism-associated molecular patterns detected by host PRRs, nucleic acids derived from bacteria or viruses are tightly supervised, providing a fundamental mechanism of host defense. Pathogenic DNAs are supposed to be detected by DNA sensors that induce the activation of NFκB or TBK1-IRF3 pathway. DNA sensor cGAS is widely expressed in innate immune cells and is a key sensor of invading DNAs in several cell types. cGAS binds to DNA, followed by a conformational change that allows the synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) from adenosine triphosphate and guanosine triphosphate. cGAMP is a strong activator of STING that can activate IRF3 and subsequent type I interferon production. Here we describe recent progresses in DNA sensors especially cGAS in the innate immune responses against pathogenic DNAs.
Keywords:
DNA sensors; cGAMP; cGAS; cytosolic DNAs; innate immunity.
MeSH terms
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DNA, Bacterial / immunology*
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DNA, Bacterial / metabolism
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DNA, Viral / immunology*
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DNA, Viral / metabolism
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Gene Expression Regulation
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Host-Pathogen Interactions
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Humans
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Immunity, Innate*
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Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 / genetics
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Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 / immunology*
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Interferon Type I / biosynthesis
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Interferon Type I / immunology
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / immunology*
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Models, Molecular
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NF-kappa B / genetics
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NF-kappa B / immunology
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Nucleotides, Cyclic / biosynthesis
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Nucleotides, Cyclic / immunology
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Nucleotidyltransferases / genetics
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Nucleotidyltransferases / immunology*
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Protein Binding
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / immunology
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Signal Transduction
Substances
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DNA, Bacterial
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DNA, Viral
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IRF3 protein, human
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Interferon Regulatory Factor-3
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Interferon Type I
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Membrane Proteins
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NF-kappa B
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Nucleotides, Cyclic
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STING1 protein, human
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cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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TBK1 protein, human
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Nucleotidyltransferases
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cGAS protein, human