STING1 and silicosis: In the lungs exposed to silica, which triggers dsDNA production, activation of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway induces lung inflammation and fibrosis, with significantly elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β, and IFN-β, as well as increased levels of CXCL10 in the sputum of silicosis patients (28, 30).