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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pharmacol Res. 2022 Mar 5;178:106162. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106162

Figure 4. DNA sensing and innate immune response in cancer cells.

Figure 4.

Radiotherapy or chemotherapy induces DNA damage and the formation of cytosolic DNA fragments. Cytosolic DNA fragment–induced cGAS activation leads to the endogenous generation of cyclic GMP-AMP, which binds to STING. STING then activates the TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)/interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) axis and NF-κB pathway, resulting in the transcription of type I interferons (IFNs) and other cytokines. These cytokines upregulate PD-L1 expression, which binds to PD-1 on the surface of activated T-cell or B-cells, contributing to cancer immune escape.