Figure 3

Antigen-specific IFN-γ secreting T cell responses induced by immunisation. Splenocytes were harvested at 14 days post last immunisation and re-stimulated for 48 h with A20 antigen presenting cells transfected with antigen-encoding plasmid DNA or incubated with synthetic peptide pools representing each antigen. Com1/4 = PY01533 + PY03832; Com2/3 = PY01606 + PY03673; Com1/2/3/4 = PY01533 + PY03832 + PY01606 + PY03673. Data are presented as a box and whiskers plot, with the line representing the median and the whiskers illustrating the range for IFN-γ spot forming cells/million splenocytes (n = 5–15/group representative of up to three independent experiments) for (white bars) DNA/protein immunisation or (black bars) peptide/adjuvant immunisation. Statistical comparison of immunised versus controls (either adjuvant only or empty vector only, for peptide/adjuvant or DNA/protein respectively) was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s posthoc test, ****p < 0.0001, ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. Statistical significance between DNA/protein and peptide/adjuvant immunisation regimens was determined by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s posthoc test, ^#### p < 0.0001, ^### p < 0.0005, ^## p < 0.005, ^# p < 0.05. The dotted line represents the mean background value of IFN-γ spot forming cells induced in adjuvant only and empty vector control groups.