The cGAS-MITA pathway of cytosolic DNA sensing plays essential roles in immune response against pathogens that contain DNA or with DNA production in their life cycles. The cGAS-MITA pathway also detects leaked or aberrant accumulated self DNA in the cytoplasm under certain pathological conditions, such as virus induced cell death, DNA damage, mitochondria damage, gene mutations, which results in autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the cGAS-MITA pathway must be tightly controlled to ensure proper immune response against pathogens and to avoid autoimmune diseases. The regulation of cGAS-MITA pathway at MITA-level have been extensively explored and reviewed elsewhere, here we provide a summary and perspective on recent advances in understanding of the cGAS regulation.
Keywords: Autoimmune; DNA sensing; Regulation; cGAS.