Type I interferons govern Zika virus resistance of human macrophages and microglia

The role of the human type I interferon (IFN-I) system in restricting Zika virus (ZIKV) is uncertain. Here, genetic and pharmacological ablation of IFN-I signalling enhanced ZIKV replication and cytopathicity in macrophages and microglia, key cells in ZIKV transmission and pathogenesis. Thus, despite the extensive IFN-I countermeasures employed by ZIKV, IFN-I dictates the outcome of infection in macrophages. Therapeutic manipulation of the IFN-I system may bring clinical benefit in ZIKV. Overall design: 12 samples of macrophages derived from induced pluripotent stem cells were processed for RNA-Sequencing on the Illumina NextSeq 500. Samples from an IFNAR2-deficient patient and 2 healthy controls. IFNAR2+ and IFNAR2- samples each infected with Asian lineage ZIKV H/FP/2013 and mock infected in triplicate.