Innate immunosensing of DNA in cellular senescence

Senescence is a multistep cellular program featuring a stable cell cycle arrest, which occurs upon exposure to various stressors. Senescent cells exhibit metabolic activity and hypertrophy and produce a multitude of factors with both cell intrinsic as well as non-cell autonomous functions. These factors are collectively referred to as the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Recently, the DNA sensor cyclic GMP AMP synthase (cGAS) and the adaptor stimulator of interferon genes (STING) have been reported to be critically involved in the regulation of senescence. This suggests that cGAS has an important function as a more general cell intrinsic stress sensor with implications for multiple senescence-associated diseases.