Immunostimulation Pathways of Extracellular Nucleosomes

Circulating nucleosomes released from dying or damaged cells have been observed to be associated with in-flammation
and autoimmune diseases, indicating that extracellular nucleosomes have immunostimulation. Early studies have
demonstrated that extracellular nucleosomes can induce immune responses in a TLR9-dependent mechanism. A
very recent study reported that extracellular nucleosomes can be taken up by mammalian cells. After cellular uptake,
nucleosomes bind and activate cGAS in the cytoplasm, inducing the expression and secre-tion of type I interferons and
proinflammatory cytokines. Thus, the cGAS-dependent mechanism represents a new pathway for the immunostimulation
of extracellular nucleosomes.

Author(s): Huawei Wang and Chuanzheng Zhou

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