Responses by murine macrophages infected with Listeria monocytogenes crucial for the development of immunity to this pathogen.

Macrophages and other mammalian cells respond to infection with Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) by the transient or persistent activation of host cell signal transduction pathways. In addition, L. monocytogenes infection influences expression of various host cell genes, such as stress genes, genes from the MHC I and II complex, cytokine genes, and cytokine receptor genes. The possible influences of the different host cell responses on the outcome of an L. monocytogenes infection in vitro as well as for the development of immunity are discussed.