Inhibition of the cGAS–STING pathway: contributing to the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract

The cGAS–STING pathway plays an important role in ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart, liver, brain, and kidney, but its role and mechanisms in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury have not been systematically reviewed. Here, we outline the components of the cGAS–STING pathway and then analyze its role in autophagy, ferroptosis, cellular pyroptosis, disequilibrium of calcium homeostasis, inflammatory responses, disruption of the blood–brain barrier, microglia transformation, and complement system activation following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. We further analyze the value of cGAS–STING pathway inhibitors in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and conclude that the pathway can regulate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through multiple mechanisms. Inhibition of the cGAS–STING pathway may be helpful in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.