Wang Weiyue, Gao Yuanxu, Lee Hyun Kyoung, Yu Albert Cheung-Hoi, Kipp Markus, Kaddatz Hannes, Zhan Jiangshan
Institute for AI in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999087, China.
Departments of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Cells. 2025 May 25;14(11):778. doi: 10.3390/cells14110778.
Inflammation is a central hallmark of cardiomyopathy, where misdirected immune responses contribute to chronic myocardial dysfunction. Among the emerging molecular mechanisms implicated in this process, the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway has garnered increasing attention. Acting as a key cytosolic DNA sensor, the cGAS/STING pathway orchestrates inflammatory responses triggered by microbial infections or endogenous cellular stressors such as autophagy and apoptosis. Despite its pivotal role, the precise molecular mechanisms regulating this pathway and its role in cardiomyopathy-associated inflammation remain poorly understood and subject to ongoing debate. To address this scientific gap, we first reviewed key findings on cGAS/STING signaling in various forms of cardiomyopathy, drawing from in vivo and in vitro studies, as well as clinical samples. In the next step, we explored how the cGAS/STING pathway could be modulated by specific agonists and antagonists in the context of cardiac disease. Finally, by integrating publicly available human single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and a systematic literature review, we identified existing molecular interventions and highlighted promising therapeutic targets aimed at mitigating cGAS/STING-driven inflammation. This comprehensive approach emphasizes the therapeutic potential of targeting the cGAS/STING pathway and provides a foundation for developing novel interventions aimed at alleviating inflammatory cardiomyopathy and improving patient outcomes. Future studies will be essential to validate these findings and facilitate their translation into clinical practice.
炎症是心肌病的核心特征,其中错误导向的免疫反应会导致慢性心肌功能障碍。在这一过程中涉及的新兴分子机制中,环状GMP-AMP合酶(cGAS)/干扰素基因刺激物(STING)信号通路受到了越来越多的关注。作为一种关键的胞质DNA传感器,cGAS/STING通路协调由微生物感染或内源性细胞应激源(如自噬和凋亡)触发的炎症反应。尽管其具有关键作用,但调节该通路的精确分子机制及其在心肌病相关炎症中的作用仍知之甚少,且存在持续的争议。为了填补这一科学空白,我们首先回顾了来自体内和体外研究以及临床样本的关于各种形式心肌病中cGAS/STING信号传导的关键发现。在下一步中,我们探讨了在心脏病背景下cGAS/STING通路如何被特定激动剂和拮抗剂调节。最后,通过整合公开可用的人类单细胞RNA测序(scRNA-seq)数据和系统的文献综述,我们确定了现有的分子干预措施,并强调了旨在减轻cGAS/STING驱动的炎症的有前景的治疗靶点。这种综合方法强调了靶向cGAS/STING通路的治疗潜力,并为开发旨在减轻炎症性心肌病和改善患者预后的新型干预措施提供了基础。未来的研究对于验证这些发现并促进其转化为临床实践至关重要。