Dual roles of TRPV2 in the innate immune response to cytosolic DNA: Arresting dormant and boosting activated STING

The cGAS/STING-dependent innate immune pathway is central in the cellular response to cytosolic DNA derived from viral infections, genotoxic stress, or mitochondrial defects. While efficient activation of the pathway is crucial for defending against pathogens and cancer, maintaining its dormancy without stimuli is equally important to avoid autoimmunity. However, the precise control of the cGAS/STING pathway remains poorly understood. Here, we report that the ion channel TRPV2 regulates both the dormancy and activation of STING. TRPV2 associates with STING and suppresses spontaneous STING activation in the absence of cytoDNA but dissociates from STING and promotes its activation by releasing Ca²⁺ from the endoplasmic reticulum in the presence of cytoDNA, which facilitates STING translocation to Golgi. Consequently, TRPV2 governs type I interferon production and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity through the cGAS/STING pathway. The dual roles of TRPV2 provide an elegant mechanism for a balanced innate immune response.