Regulation of gene expression in RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line by interferon-γ

Macrophages play an important role in immune responses and in inflammatory disease states such as atherosclerosis. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a major cytokine involved in the activation of macrophages. To elucidate the primary response of various genes and biological pathways regulated by IFN-γ in macrophage, we analyzed the gene expression profile in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells treated with IFN-γ for 4 h. Microarray analysis revealed that about 400 genes were differentially expressed, of which about 250 genes were up-regulated and 150 were down-regulated. Functional organization of the transcriptome revealed that induced genes are involved in antimicrobial and antiviral responses, antigen presentation, chemokine and cytokine signaling, and inhibition of cell growth. We also found that expression of genes involved in cell-cycle control, DNA repair, and lipid metabolism was suppressed by IFN-γ. We also identified induction of multiple transcription factors by IFN-γ in RAW 264.7 cells. Functional annotation of genes regulated by IFN-γ in RAW 264.7 cells may provide novel insights into the role of macrophages in immunity and in inflammatory disease.