Conidia but not yeast cells of the fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum trigger a type I interferon innate immune response in murine macrophages. Mus musculus

To identify signaling pathways that are induced by macrophages infected with Histoplasma capsulatum, we examined the whole genome expression profile of murine bone marrow derived macrophages infected with conidia, the natural infectious particle of Histoplasma. Conidia induced the expression of signature Type I interferon response genes. The induction of a Type I interferon response was specific to conidia, yeast cells did not trigger the response. Macrophages that lack the Type I interferon receptor, IFNAR1, were infected and compared to wild-type macrophages. The expression of some Type I IFN response genes are dependent upon Keywords: Murine bone marrow derived macrophage transcriptional response to infection with Histoplasma capsulatum conidia Overall design: We analyzed a series of 24 MEEBO arrays on which were hybed RNA amplified from bone marrow derived macrophages from C57BL/6 (WT) or ifnar1-/- mice either mock infected or infected with H. capsulatum conidia or yeast cells.