Figure 4
E7-specific interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-secreting cells in the genital mucosa after vaccination and intravaginal (IVAG) immunostimulation. Upper panel: mice were subcutaneously (s.c.) immunized with the adjuvanted E7 vaccine at day 1. At day 6 (a) or day 3 (b) phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), PIC, CpG, or Non-CpG were IVAG instilled. Mice were killed at day 9. Lower panel: five groups of mice were s.c. immunized with the adjuvanted E7 vaccine at day 1. At day 6, one group was instilled IVAG PBS while two other groups received IVAG PIC and the two last groups had IVAG CpG. A group of each treatment further received IVAG PIC or CpG at days 9 and 12. All mice were killed at day 15. After killing, cells recovered from cervix-vagina were analyzed by ex vivo IFN-γ ELISPOT. The numbers of E749–57-specific IFN-γ-secreting cells per 105 cells are indicated for each mouse/organ. The horizontal bars represent the mean responses. Significant differences are indicated by ** for P<0.01 and *** for P<0.001.
