The Cytoplasmic DNA Sensor cGAS Promotes Mitotic Cell Death.

ABSTRACT: Pathogenic and other cytoplasmic DNAs activate the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway to induce inflammation via transcriptional activation by IRF3 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), but the functional consequences of exposing cGAS to chromosomes upon mitotic nuclear envelope breakdown are unknown. Here, we show that nucleosomes competitively inhibit DNA-dependent cGAS activation and that the cGAS-STING pathway is not effectively activated during normal mitosis. However, during mitotic arrest, low level cGAS-dependent IRF3 phosphorylation slowly accumulates without triggering inflammation. Phosphorylated IRF3, independently of its DNA-binding domain, stimulates apoptosis through alleviating Bcl-xL-dependent suppression of mitochondrial outer membrane

SUBMITTER: Zierhut C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6693521 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature