MATRIN3 deficiency triggers autoinflammation via cGAS-STING activation

Abstract

Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) comprise a program of immune effectors important for host immune defense. When uncontrolled, ISGs play a central role in interferonopathies and other inflammatory diseases. The mechanisms responsible for turning on ISGs are not completely known. By investigating MATRIN3 (MATR3), a nuclear RNA-binding protein mutated in familial ALS, we found that perturbing MATR3 results in elevated expression of ISGs. Using an integrative approach, we elucidate a pathway that leads to activation of cGAS-STING. This outlines a plausible mechanism for pathogenesis in a subset of ALS, and suggests new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this fatal disease. One-Sentence SummaryMis-splicing of Tudor Domain Containing 3 (TDRD3) in the absence of MATR3 unleashes R-loops and interferon-stimulated genes.