Abstract
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) acts as a cytoplasmic signaling hub of innate immunity that is activated by host-derived or bacterially derived cyclic dinucleotides. Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne, facultative intracellular pathogen that secretes c-di-AMP and activates STING, yet the in vivo role of the STING pathway during bacterial pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we found that STING-deficient mice had increased weight loss and roughly 10-fold-increased systemic bacterial burden during L. monocytogenes-induced enterocolitis. Infection with a L. monocytogenes mutant impaired in c-di-AMP secretion failed to elicit a protective response, whereas a mutant with increased c-di-AMP secretion triggered enhanced protection. Type I interferon (IFN) is a major output of STING signaling; however, disrupting IFN signaling during L. monocytogenes-induced enterocolitis did not recapitulate STING deficiency. In the absence of STING, the intestinal immune response was associated with a reduced influx of inflammatory monocytes. These studies suggest that in barrier sites such as the intestinal tract, where pathogen-associated molecular patterns are abundant, cytosolic surveillance systems such as STING are well positioned to detect pathogenic bacteria.