Table 1 Roles of STING activation in cancer

Acute meyloid leukemia

DMXAA, 450 μg, i.t.

Promote DC maturation and enhance CD8⁺ T cell responses via the induction of type I IFN

[44]

Breast cancer

Topotecan (TPT, an inhibitor of topoisomerase I), 20 mg/kg, i.p.

Olaparib (PARP inhibitor), 50 mg/kg daily, i.p.

c-di-GMP, 150 nM, 24 h and c-di-GMP, 0.01 nM, i.p.

Mafosfamide, 10 μM

Mediate DC activation

Increase CD8⁺ T cell infiltration

Activate caspase-3 and kill tumor cell directly, improve CD8⁺ T cell responses and restrict MDSCs

Activate IFN/STAT1 pathway and protect breast cancer cells from genotoxic agents

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

Colorectal cancer

Gamma rays (6 Gy)

Induce type III IFN production after gamma-radiation by the activation of the cytosolic DNA sensors-STING-TBK1-IRF1 signaling pathway

[49]

Radiation (40 Gy)

Promote type I IFN production and contribute to sensing irrated-tumor cells by DC

Induce MDSC mobilization which mediates

[50]

2′3’cGAMP, 10 μg / X-ray

radioresistance in mouse models

[51]

Glioma

c-di-GMP, 4 μg, i.t.

Enhance CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and migration into the brain via type I IFN signaling and other chemokines

[37]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Matrigel containing 25 μg cyclic-di-AMP (CDN)

Induce type I IFN in the host cells and promote CD8⁺T cell response

[52]

cGAMP, 10 μg/ml, 24 h

Facilitate cetuximab mediated NK cell activation and DC maturation

[53]

R, R-CDG, 20 μg, i.t.

Promote Th1 response and increase IFN-γ⁺CD8⁺, but upregulate PD-L1

[54]

R, R-CDG, 15 μg, i.t.

Increase the production of type I and II IFN but also promote the expression of PD-1 pathway components

[55]

Lung cancer

PARP inhibitors

Promote infiltration and activation of lymphocytes in NSCLC and SCLC

[56, 57]

DMXAA/2′3’-cGAMP, 20 μg/ml, 24 h

Re-educate M2 macrophages towards an M1 phenotype in murine NSCLC

[58]

cGAMP, 10 μg, i.t.

Normalize tumor vasculature and augment the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cell in LLC tumor

[59]

Malignant lymphoma

3′3’-cGAMP, 20 μM, 4 h

Induce apoptosis of malignant B cells via IRE-1/XBP-1 pathway

[60]

Melanoma

Tumor derived DNA(B16), 1 h

Induce IFN-β production in APC and is indispensable for T cell activation and expansion

[35]

2′3’ cGAMP, 200 nM, i.p.

Activate NK cell response

[61]

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

EBV infection.

Restrict the secretion of GM-CSF and IL-6, thereby suppress the MDSC induction

[62]

Ovary cancer

2′3’-c-di-AM(PS) (Rp, Rp), 4 mg/kg, i.p.

Increase the infiltration of activated CD8⁺ T cell into tumors

[63]

Pancreatic cancer

DMXAA, 300/450 μg, i.t.

Promote trafficking and activation of tumor-killing T cells, decrease the infiltration of Treg, and reprogram immune-suppressive macrophages

[64]

Prostate Cancer

Cytosolic DNA generated by endonuclease MUS81

Induce type I IFN expression and mobilize phagocytes and promote T cell responses

[65]

c-di-GMP, 25 μg, i.t.

Provoke abscopal immunity

[66]

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma

HPV infection.

Enhance Treg infiltration through upregulation of CCL22 expression in HPV+ tongue squamous cells

[67]