Role of STING in facilitating cytokines production by apoptotic DNA. (A) DNA from thymocytes treated with or without Dex (10 μM, 5 h). (B) STING expression as analyzed by immunoblot and IFNβ ELISA of Sting+/+ and Sting−/− BMDM treated with dsDNA90 or aDNA. ND, nondetectable. (C) Confocal analysis of BMDMs transfected with aDNA and immunostained with anti-STING antibody. (Magnification: 1260×.) (D) Microarray of Sting+/+ or Sting−/− BMDM transfected with aDNA (6 h). (E) ELISA of IL-β, IL-6, and TNFα in BMDMs treated with or without aDNA. (F) Cxcl10 mRNA level levels in BMDMs treated with STING and/or DNase II siRNA after exposure for 6 h to apoptotic thymocytes (aCell). Cxcl10 mRNA level was normalized to the expression of GAPDH (Left). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.005 by Student’s t test.