TMEM203 is a binding partner and regulator of STING-mediated inflammatory signaling in macrophages

Abstract

Significance Activators of interferons have received a great deal of interest in recent decades, both due to the central role they play in host defense against a range of pathogens, as well as the now well-recognized importance of dysregulated interferon activation/signaling in the pathogenesis of a number of highly prevalent and hard-to-treat diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, novel regulators of interferon activation are being sought as they may provide better targets to treat these diseases. We report the discovery of TMEM203 as an SLE-associated gene and a regulator of ligand-dependent activation of interferon production via STING. Thus, our work could form the basis of a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of interferonopathies, including SLE.