DNA-triggered innate immune responses are propagated by gap junction communication

Suraj J. Patel, Kevin R. King, Monica Casali, Martin L. Yarmush

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cells respond to infection by sensing pathogens and communicating danger signals to noninfected neighbors; however, little is known about this complex spatiotemporal process. Here we show that activation of the innate immune system by double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) triggers intercellular communication through a gap junction-dependent signaling pathway, recruiting colonies of cells to collectively secrete antiviral and inflammatory cytokines for the propagation of danger signals across the tissue at large. By using live-cell imaging of a stable IRF3-sensitive GFP reporter, we demonstrate that dsDNA sensing leads to multicellular colonies of IRF3-activated cells that express the majority of secreted cytokines, including IFNβ and TNFα. Inhibiting gap junctions decreases dsDNA-induced IRF3 activation, cytokine production, and the resulting tissue-wide antiviral state, indicating that this immune response propagation pathway lies upstream of the paracrine action of secreted cytokines and may represent a host-derived mechanism for evading viral antiinterferon strategies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)12867-12872
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume106
Issue number31
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 4 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • IRF
  • Innate immunity
  • Interferon
  • TLR

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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