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Nature 448, 423-424 (26 July 2007) | doi:10.1038/448423a; Published online 25 July 2007

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Immunology: Sensing the enemy within

Hongbo Chi1 & Richard A. Flavell1

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Damaged or foreign DNA stimulates immune responses by inducing the production of interferon proteins. New evidence indicates that this response is mediated by a cytosolic DNA sensor known as DAI.

On infection by a pathogen, the immune system rapidly mounts defence mechanisms, characterized by massive production of interferon proteins and other cytokines (immune mediators). This reaction, known as the innate immune response, is mediated by pattern-recognition receptors that detect conserved structures found in a broad range of pathogens.

  1. Hongbo Chi is in the Department of Immunology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
    Email: hongbo.chi@stjude.org
  2. Richard A. Flavell is in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
    Email: richard.flavell@yale.edu

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