A cGAS-Independent STING/IRF7 Pathway Mediates the Immunogenicity of DNA Vaccines.

ABSTRACT: It has been known since the discovery of DNA vaccines >20 y ago that DNA vaccines can function as adjuvants. Our recent study reported the involvement of Aim2 as the sensor of DNA vaccines in eliciting Ag-specific Ab responses. Our findings indicated the presence of previously unrecognized innate immune response pathways in addition to the TLR9 pathway, which is mainly activated by the CpG motifs of DNA vaccines. Our data further demonstrated the requirement of type I IFN in DNA vaccine-induced immune responses via the Aim2 pathway, but the exact downstream molecular mechanism was not characterized. In the present study, we investigated the roles of the putative DNA sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGas), as well as the downstream IFN regulatory factors (IRF) 3 and 7 in type I IFN induction

SUBMITTER: Suschak JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4685033 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature