CGAS and cancer: Cytoplasmic dsDNA can stimulate immune responses.[61] In normal cells, the cytoplasm is devoid of DNA.[62] However, in cancer cells, a variety of factors such as genome instability, tumor suppressor gene mutation or deletion, and oxidative stress, can result in leakage of dsDNA from the nucleus or mitochondria into the cytoplasm.[61] Then, cGAS in the cytoplasm senses dsDNA and generates the second messenger cGAMP, which activates the adaptor protein STING.