Seminar: Hijacked immunity — How cancer cells weaponize the cGAS-STING pathway

Chromosomal instability, characterized by frequent chromosome missegregation in mitosis, is a hallmark of cancer and is a key driver of metastasis. Chromosomal instability results in accumulation of cytosolic DNA, activating the cGAS-STING innate immune response. While cGAS-STING signaling is traditionally viewed as immune-stimulating, we reveal how cancer cells employ both intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms to rewire this pathway, triggering immune evasion rather than surveillance. This discovery highlights the plasticity of innate immune response in cancer cells and offers novel therapeutic targets for combating aggressive cancers associated with chromosomal instability.