Figure 5: Cryogel vaccines stimulate the recruitment and activation of innate and adaptive immune cells.

Number of CD11c⁺ DCs, pDCs and CD8⁺ DCs at day 9 post-immunization isolated from explanted cryogel vaccines (a) regional LN (b) and spleen (c) Number of CD3⁺ T cells (d) and CD8⁺ T cells (e) at day 13 post-immunization isolated from explanted cryogel vaccines, LN and spleen. (f) Ratio of CD8⁺ T cells versus FoxP3⁺ Treg cells residing within cryogel vaccines, LN and spleen at day 23 after immunization. (g) In vivo concentrations of the indicated mouse cytokines (detected by a Bio-Plex Pro Mouse Cytokines 23-plex Immunoassay) from explanted cryogels at day 13. The inset shows a zoomed-in view of low cytokine levels. C, V and VC groups correspond to mice injected with blank cryogels at day 0 (C), mice immunized with cryogel vaccines (containing CpG ODN, GM-CSF and irradiated B16-F10 cells) at day 0 (V), and mice immunized with cryogel vaccines at day 0+tumour challenged with live B16-F10 cells at day 6 (VC), respectively. Values in a, b, c, d, f and g represent mean and s.d. (n=5). Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 versus all other experimental conditions unless otherwise noted.