Cited by 1,335interferon and immune responsesTelomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceImmune Response and Inflammation

Cytoplasmic chromatin triggers inflammation in senescence and cancer

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Dou, Zhixun, Ghosh, Kanad, Vizioli, Maria Grazia, Zhu, Jiajun, Sen, Payel, Wangensteen, Kirk J., Simithy, Johayra, Lan, Yemin +16 more·2017·Nature

Abstract

Chromatin is traditionally viewed as a nuclear entity that regulates gene expression and silencing. However, we recently discovered the presence of cytoplasmic chromatin fragments that pinch off from intact nuclei of primary cells during senescence, a form of terminal cell-cycle arrest associated with pro-inflammatory responses. The functional significance of chromatin in the cytoplasm is unclear. Here we show that cytoplasmic chromatin activates the innate immunity cytosolic DNA-sensing cGAS-STING (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase linked to stimulator of interferon genes) pathway, leading both to short-term inflammation to restrain activated oncogenes and to chronic inflammation that associates with tissue destruction and cancer. The cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway promotes the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in primary human cells and in mice. Mice deficient in STING show impaired immuno-surveillance of oncogenic RAS and reduced tissue inflammation upon ionizing radiation. Furthermore, this pathway is activated in cancer cells, and correlates with pro-inflammatory gene expression in human cancers. Overall, our findings indicate that genomic DNA serves as a reservoir to initiate a pro-inflammatory pathway in the cytoplasm in senescence and cancer. Targeting the cytoplasmic chromatin-mediated pathway may hold promise in treating inflammation-related disorders.

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  • cGAS and STING are major regulators of the SASP programme across species, probably by activating NF-κB and IRF3.

    “The DNA sensor cGAS and the adaptor protein STING have been reported to be major regulators of the SASP programme across species, presumably by activating NF-κB and the interferon response factor IRF3 (REFS60,112,113).”

    From Cellular senescence in ageing: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities (2021) · cites this paper as [60]

    The supplied Abstract passages (no page specified) report that cGAS–STING is required for the SASP in human cells, that STING mediates a SASP response in mice, and that the pathway activates NF-κB. They distinguish IRF3 as part of the interferon pathway and report that interferon genes are not induced in senescence; they do not support IRF3 activation as a mechanism of the SASP. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Cellular senescence is accompanied by substantial reorganization of the nuclear envelope and a breakdown in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, including altered expression and degradation of Lamin B1, and formation of cytoplasmic chromatin fragments.

    “Cellular senescence is accompanied by substantial reorganization of the nuclear envelope and a breakdown in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, including altered expression and degradation of Lamin B1, and the formation of cytoplasmic chromatin fragments (CCFs) [38–45].”

    From Chemically induced reprogramming to reverse cellular aging (2023) · cites this paper as [39]

    Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • The cGAS-STING pathway regulates cellular senescence.

    “We and others have previously described a role of the cGAS–STING pathway in the regulation of cellular senescence—a hallmark of ageing5–8.”

    From cGAS–STING drives ageing-related inflammation and neurodegeneration (2023) · cites this paper as [7]

    The passage labeled Abstract (page unavailable) shows that cGAS–STING regulates the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), a key feature of senescence. It also reports that disrupting the pathway does not affect several senescence markers or reverse established senescence, so the broader claim that it regulates cellular senescence needs that qualification. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Loss of nuclear lamina can release cytosolic chromatin fragments into the cytoplasm of senescent cells.

    “Loss of nuclear lamina can lead to the release of cytosolic chromatin fragments (CCFs) in the cytoplasm of senescent cells58–60”
  • Downregulation of Lamin B1 leads to collapse of the nuclear envelope, which can trigger release of chromatin fragments from the nucleus to the cytosol, termed cytoplasmic chromatin fragments.

    “Downregulation of Lamin B1 leads to collapse of the nuclear envelope, which can trigger release of chromatin fragments from the nucleus to the cytosol, termed cytoplasmic chromatin fragments (CCF).68”

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Authors
Dou, Z., Ghosh, K., Vizioli, M. G., Zhu, J., Sen, P., Wangensteen, K. J., Simithy, J., Lan, Y., Lin, Y., Zhou, Z., Capell, B. C., Xu, C., Xu, M., Kieckhaefer, J. E., Jiang, T., Shoshkes-Carmel, M., Tanim, K. M. A. A., Barber, G. N., Seykora, J. T., Millar, S. E., Kaestner, K. H., Garcia, B. A., Adams, P. D., & Berger, S. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute (GB)
  • Peking University (CN)
  • Abramson Cancer Center (US)
  • University of Miami (US)
  • Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (US)
Corresponding author
  • Adams, Peter D.
  • Berger, Shelley L.
Venue
Nature
Published
2017-10
Volume
550
Issue
7676
Pages
402-406
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2762611634
Cited by
1,335
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 177 · 2025: 157 · 2024: 184 · 2023: 156 · 2022: 174 · 2021: 158 · 2020: 127 · 2019: 115 · 2018: 75 · 2017: 10
FWCI
40.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (CA078831)
  • National Institute on Aging (K99AG053406, P01AG031862)
  • National Cancer Institute (P01CA196539, R01CA078831)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI079336)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K08DK106478)
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30ES013508)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (K08AR070289, P30AR069589, T32AR007465)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › interferon and immune responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
Keywords
cGAS-STING pathway, cytosolic DNA sensing, cellular senescence, senescence-associated secretory phenotype, chronic inflammation, tumor surveillance, oncogenic Ras, ionizing radiation, innate immunity, tumor inflammation
MeSH terms
STING Protein, Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Adenosine Monophosphate Synthase, Animals, Chromatin, Cytoplasm, Female, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Inflammation, Liver, Male, Membrane Proteins, Neoplasms, Nucleotidyltransferases, Radiation, Ionizing, Oncogene Protein p21(ras), Cytokines, Cellular Senescence, Cell Line, Tumor, Mice

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