OVA specific CD8 T cell responses.

<p>Mice were immunized with different recombinant MVAs expressing ovalbumin (OVA) under the control of the indicated promoters. CD8 T cells from blood were analysed for OVA- and vector- specific responses one week after each immunization by staining for CD8 and CD44 markers along with MHC class I dextramers complexed with the TSYKFESV peptide from the B8R protein or with the SIINFEKL peptide from the OVA protein. CD8 T cells were gated from the lymphocyte population and the frequencies of OVA (gray bars) and B8R (white bars) specific CD8 T cells were obtained as a percentage from the total CD8 T cell population. The frequency of both OVA and B8R specific CD8 T cells were obtained for each mouse and the average for each group calculated. The average frequency of OVA and B8R specific CD8 T cells for each group (+/- SEM) is shown after the first (A), second (B) and third (C) immunizations. *, indicates values with significant difference (<i>p</i> < 0.02) when compared to the PrMVA13.5-short, PrS and PrH5m promoters. (D) The frequencies of OVA and B8R specific CD8 T cells were used to calculate OVA- to B8R- specific (OVA/B8R) ratios for individual mice after each immunization (immun). Values reported are the average for each group. Error bars represent +/- SEM. *, indicates values with significant difference (<i>p</i> < 0.05) when compared to the PrS; **, indicates values with significant difference when compared to the PrMVA13.5-short; ***, indicates values with significant differences when compared to the PrH5m.