STING-cytosolic DNA sensing: the backbone for an effective tumor radiation therapy

Local irradiation has been broadly used in the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors. It is commonly believed that treatment effect of radiation is based on a direct killing of cancer cells. However, recent studies have gradually found that tumor regression following ablative irradiation mainly depends on type I interferon signaling and CD8⁺ T cell response. In this issue of Immunity, Deng and colleagues (1) found that anti-tumor effects of radiation are contributed by both innate and adaptive immune responses. They present compelling evidence that cytosolic DNA sensing pathways bridge the known irradiation-mediated DNA damage to anti-tumor immune response.