STING Activation Induces IL-35-Producing Regulatory B Cells That Suppress NK Antitumor Immunity

An expert talk on ImmuneZoom lays out a mechanism in which activation of the STING pathway induces regulatory B cells producing IL-35, which then inhibit NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine production, weakening innate immune clearance of tumors. The speaker proposes "unionized STING," an mRNA/LNP-delivered STING agonist, as a tool for tuning nucleic acid sensing. Blocking IL-35 signaling or this Breg subset may release suppressed NK function and strengthen antitumor immunity.