RIGulation of STING expression: at the crossroads of viral RNA and DNA sensing pathways

Abstract

The innate immune sensing of pathogens is important for host to mount defensive responses. STING has emerged in recent years as a critical signaling adaptor in the immune response to cytosolic DNA and RNA derived from pathogens. Liu et al. (2016) demonstrate that the RIG-I-dependent RNA sensing signaling induces STING expression via a TNF-α and IFN-α synergy. The up-regulation of STING is vital for 5′pppRNA restriction of HSV, a DNA virus that infects humans and causes herpes, in vitro and in vivo. This study provides new insights into the cross talk between DNA and RNA pathogen-sensing systems via the control of STING.