Pharmacological activation of STING agonists blocks schistosome egg-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokine production

Infection with the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni causes morbidity and mortality via a pathogenic host CD4 T cell-mediated immune response directed against parasite egg antigens. Additionally, CBA mice tend to have a severe form of liver granulomatous inflammation. Since CBA bone marrow-derived dendritic cells have lower expression of STING, we hypothesized that STING agonists such as diABZI-3 and DMXAA would control pro-inflammatory cytokine production and inflammation by activating STING expression and activation. Both diABZI-3 and DMXAA induced robust interferon (IFN) production, while IL-1ð