cGAS-STING pathway mediates activation of dendritic cell sensing of immunogenic tumors

Type I interferons (IFN-I) play pivotal roles in tumor therapy for three decades, underscoring the critical importance of maintaining the integrity of the IFN-1 signaling pathway in radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. However, the specific mechanism by which IFN-I contributes to these therapies, particularly in terms of activating dendritic cells (DCs), remains unclear. Based on recent studies, aberrant DNA in the cytoplasm activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)- stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway, which in turn produces IFN-I, which is essential for antiviral and anticancer immunity. Notably, STING can also enhance anticancer immunity by promoting autophagy, inflammation, and glycolysis in an IFN-I-independent manner. These research advancements contribute to our comprehension of the distinctions between IFN-I drugs and STING agonists in the context of oncology therapy and shed light on the challenges involved in developing STING agonist drugs. Thus, we aimed to summarize the novel mechanisms underlying cGAS-STING-IFN-I signal activation in DC-mediated antigen presentation and its role in the cancer immune cycle in this review.