A rough Brucella mutant induced macrophage death depends on secretion activity of T4SS, but not on cellular Txnip- and Caspase-2-mediated signaling pathway

•The rough-type Brucella is cytotoxic for macrophage dependent on T4SS.•Secretion activity of T4SS is necessary for rough Brucella-induced macrophage death.•The 15 T4SS effectors have no role in cytotoxicity of rough-Brucella infection.•Macrophage death was independent of Txnip- and Caspase 2- mediated signal pathway.