Activated cGAS-STING signaling promotes malignancy in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease via mitochondrial DNA and immune cell dysfunction
Meng-Ya Zhou, Rong-Fei Fang, Hao Tang, Xiao-Xiao Xia, Qun Xie, Deng-Fu Yao, Wen-Li Sai, Min Yao
Meng-Ya Zhou, Hao Tang, Min Yao, Department of Immunology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
Rong-Fei Fang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
Xiao-Xiao Xia, Qun Xie, Department of Infectious Diseases, Haian People’s Hospital, Haian 226600, Jiangsu Province, China
Deng-Fu Yao, Wen-Li Sai, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Meng-Ya Zhou and Rong-Fei Fang.
Co-corresponding authors: Wen-Li Sai and Min Yao.
Author contributions: Zhou MY and Fang RF contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Zhou MY, Fang RF, and Tang H collected blood specimens for analysis; Zhou MY, Fang RF, and Yao DF conceptualized and designed the research; Xia XX, Sai WL, and Yao M acquired the funding and wrote the manuscript; Zhou MY, Xie Q, and Yao M were instrumental and responsible for data reanalysis and reinterpretation, figure plotting, comprehensive literature search, and the preparation and submission of the current version of the manuscript, with a new focus on immunological functions for the potential underlying mechanisms of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; Yao DF, Sai WL, and Yao M are crucial for the publication of this manuscript; Sai WL and Yao M contributed equally to this article, they are the co-corresponding authors of this manuscript; and all authors thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation, No. 32470985; Nantong Science and Technology Programs, No. MS2024051; Nantong Control of Infectious Diseases, No. NTCRB2025016; and Nantong Health Commission of China, No. QN2025064.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Nantong University, China, approval No. P20230327-001.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Data sharing statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Min Yao, PhD, Postdoc, Professor, Vice Director, Department of Immunology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, No. 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
erbei@ntu.edu.cn
Received: March 24, 2026
Revised: April 14, 2026
Accepted: June 1, 2026
Published online: July 27, 2026
Processing time: 122 Days and 6.3 Hours
