Transfection was performed with INTERFERin according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a facultative anaerobic gram-positive bacterium, causes listeriosis. Immune cell apoptosis is considered to be one pathogenic factor for listeriosis. As a deubiquitinase, CYLD is an important regulator both in innate immune response and apoptosis by negatively modulating NF-kappaB pathway. However the role of CYLD in Lm induced apoptosis remains unclear. Here we found that CYLD is significantly up-regulated in macrophages upon its infection. There is a moderate decrease in Lm proliferation and apoptotic cells in siRNA-induced CYLD knockdown THP-1 cells. Thereby CYLD may be involved in cell apoptosis mediated by Lm infection and its proliferation.