Type I Interferon Exacerbates Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Induced Human Macrophage Death

In this study, we tested whether type I interferons (IFN-I), namely IFN-alpha and IFN-beta, may promote Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) pathogenesis by exacerbating cell death of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) infected with Mtb. We differentiated the MDM under two different published methods (see Document Method.pdf for Table 1 of Methods). To determine if MDM infected with Mtb upregulates IFN-I transcripts, signaling factors, or IFN-I stimulated genes (ISGs), the MDM were infected with Mtb or treated with an activator of stimulator of IFN genes (STING), diamidobenzimidazole (di-ABZI). STING activation acted as a positive control for IFN-I induction and ISG upregulation. Indeed, di-ABZI treated MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs 24 hpi. At 24 hour post treatment, MDM differentiated under one method, but not under another method, upregulated ISGs, such as ISG15, IFITM3, and CXCL10, upon Mtb infection. MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs upon di-ABZI treatment.]]> Informed Consent and HIPAA Authorization for ResearchMethodsInclusion Criteria:healthy adult donors only]]>