Fig. 7.

Stau1 mediates the immune response by the DNMTi treatment by stabilizing ERV RNAs. Demethylation due to DNMTi treatment results in the induction of many cellular dsRNAs, including ERV RNAs. These RNAs are stabilized by Stau1 in complex with TINCR, which leads to the activation of dsRNA sensors of innate immune response proteins such as MDA5 and PKR. In the absence of Stau1 or TINCR, ERV RNAs are destabilized and fail to trigger an immune response, making the therapy ineffective. (Created with BioRender.com.)