Gene expression analysis of WT, IFNAR KO, or STING KO bone marrow derived macrophages treated with IFNbeta and/or infected with live or heat killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The aim of this study was to identify the signaling pathways differentially engaged upon infection with either live or heat killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in murine bone marrow derived macrophages. Based on preliminary data that type I IFN signaling dominates the transcriptional differences, we investigated what roles the type I IFN receptor IFNAR and the signaling molecule STING play during infection with either live or heat killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in bone marrow derived macrophages. In WT and STING KO macrophages, IFNbeta treatment was added either by itself or in addition to both of the infection conditions to test whether the lack of IFNbeta induction in these cells accounted for any differences in transcriptional respones.added IFNbeta treatment either by itself or in addition to both of the infection conditions.