Fig. 2
From: The cGAS‒STING pathway in cancer immunity: mechanisms, challenges, and therapeutic implications
Regulation of the cGAS-STING pathway in immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. (a) STING promotes the differentiation of CD4+ T cells into Th9 cells via GAMP/p70S6K signaling, leading to the secretion of IL-9 and subsequent tumor cell killing; (b) STING signaling drives the differentiation of CD4+ T cells into Th1 cells through IRF-3, resulting in the secretion of interferon-γ, which kills tumor cells; (c) STING signaling activates dendritic cells (DCs) by inducing the production of type I interferons, further activating CD8+ T cells; (d) STING signaling activates natural killer (NK) cells by promoting NLRP3, thereby enhancing tumor cell killing