CGAS and acute kidney injury: It was shown that in cisplatin-stimulated TECs, mtDNA released by damaged mitochondria leaks into the cytoplasm through Bcl-2 associated protein X (BAX) pores in the mitochondrial outer membrane, with subsequent activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, thereby triggering inflammation and promoting AKI progression (Fig. 1).