Fig. 6: E10-epitope is immunodominant upon H7-IAV infection.

a, c Schematic illustration of epitope identification by flow cytometry. Created with BioRender.com. b Representative flow cytometry gating of GC and MBC for epitope identification in mln of WT-infected mice 14 days post-infection. GC B cells were gated as live CD3⁻ B220⁺ IgD⁻ IgM⁻ GL7⁺ CD38⁻, MBC as live CD3⁻ B220⁺ IgD⁻ IgM⁻ GL7⁻ CD38⁺. d Same as in (b) but for MUT-infected mice. e Quantification of epitope-specific MBC and GC B cells in mln of WT- and MUT-infected mice at 14 days post-infection. Two independent experiments with 5 mice each. Bars represent SEM; statistical analysis was performed using two-sided unpaired t-test. **p = 0.0016, ****p < 0.0001. f Quantification of ASC by ELISPOT, plates were coated with WT-HA and MUT-HA, and ASC were quantified in mln of WT vs. MUT infected mice. Spot-forming cells were normalized to 10⁶ cells. Data from five mice per group. Bars represent SEM, statistical analysis was performed using two-sided unpaired t-test. *p = 0.034, **p = 0.0017. g Serum reactivity to WT-HA and MUT-HA in WT- and MUT-infected mice at 14 days post infection. Area under the curve (AUC) quantification is depicted. Data represent four independent experiments with five mice each (n = 20). Bars represent mean ± SEM; statistical analysis was performed using a two-sided unpaired t-test. ****p < 0.0001.