Gene expression profiling of interferon-beta stimulated cells

Cytoplasmic DNA triggers the activation of the innate immune system. While downstream signaling components have been characterized, the DNA sensing components remain largely elusive. We performed a systematic proteomics screen for proteins that associate with DNA, traversed to a screen for IFN--induced transcripts. We identified DSIRE (DNA sensor for the IL-1 response, previously called AIM2) as a candidate cytoplasmic sensor. DSIRE showed a marked selectivity for double-stranded DNA. DSIRE can recruit the inflammasome adaptor ASC and gets redistributed to ASC speckles upon coexpression of ASC. RNAi-mediated reduction of DSIRE expression led to an impairment in IL-1 maturation. Reconstitution of unresponsive cells with DSIRE, ASC, caspase 1 and IL-1 showed that DSIRE is sufficient for inflammasome activation. Overall, our data strongly suggest that DSIRE is a cytoplasmic DNA sensor for the inflammasome.

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Bürckstümmer T, Baumann C, Blüml S, Dixit E, Dürnberger G, Jahn H, Planyavsky M, Bilban M, Colinge J, Bennett KL, Superti-Furga G