The STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway is a crucial component of the innate immune response. It is primarily responsible for detecting cytosolic DNA and initiating an antiviral response. This pathway is activated when cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) detects double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the cytosol, leading to the production of cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP). cGAMP then binds to STING, which is located on the endoplasmic reticulum, initiating a signaling cascade that ultimately results in the production of type I interferons and other inflammatory cytokines.
