STING tagged posts

Mechanism of action of the identified STING antagonists.

Scientists have discovered two small-molecule compound series that can effectively block a central pathway of the innate immune system, offering a promising new way for treating autoinflammatory diseases. As a key strategy to sense the presence of pathogens, the cells of the innate immune system use receptors that can identify microbial DNA and in turn activate a protein called STING (STimulator of Interferon Genes). Once activated, STING turns on genes that help cells fight off the infecting pathogen.

Nonetheless, the innate immune system can turn against the body itself, causing a number of diseases, which are referred to as autoinflammatory...

A magenta-stained cell shows how the molecule STING (green) is positioned next to the bacteria Listeria (blue) to start an immune response. Credit: Washington State University

Discovery opens door to efficient research model. Washington State University researchers have seen how both humans and fruit flies deploy a protein that plays a critical role in their immune responses to invading bacteria. The discovery gives scientists a model organism with which to explore ways to boost the human immune system and create infection-fighting medicines.

Naturally, there are enormous differences between humans and fruit flies, whose common ancestor goes back 800 million years...