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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.07.17.665294

Human macrophages secrete both interferon α and interferon β protein during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Leisching, G.·Cox, D.·BONDET, V.·Yennemadi, A. S.·Donohue, S.·Duffy, D.·Keane, J.
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Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection activates type I interferons (IFNs) which are crucial mediators of tuberculosis (TB) pathogenesis. Despite assumptions that IFN and IFN{beta} are secreted by macrophages, direct protein quantification in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages is surprisingly lacking. Here, we demonstrate measurable IFN and IFN{beta} secretion by MDMs infected with both virulent (H37Rv) and attenuated (H37Ra) Mtb strains as early as 48 h post-infection, with levels persisting at 120 h. These findings challenge existing assumptions about type I IFN kinetics and highlight the importance of timing in experimental designs and provides a foundation for exploring their role in host-pathogen interactions.

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Leisching, G., Cox, D., BONDET, V., Yennemadi, A. S., Donohue, S., Duffy, D., Keane, J.. 2025-07-21. Human macrophages secrete both interferon α and interferon β protein during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.17.665294

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