No impact of <i>Ov</i>7 on proliferation of OT-II T cells <i>in vivo</i>.

<p>CFSE-labeled OT-II spleen cells were adoptively transferred i.v. into C57BL/6 mice. 20 µg <i>Ov</i>7 was injected i.p. at the day of the transfer and one day later. Mice were sacrificed 2 d after <i>in vivo</i> activation with 50 µg OVA_323-339 peptide and proliferation was analyzed. A) Representative dot blot showing the gating strategy. We gated on CD4⁺CFSE⁺ cells to calculate the frequency of OT-II T cells in the spleen (B) and analyzed the number of cell divisions OT-II T cells have undergone (C). Shown is the frequency of OT-II T cells that did not divide (M₀) or divided once (M₁), twice (M₂), or three times and more (M₃) after stimulation in the presence of PBS (white bars) or <i>Ov</i>7 (red bars). Shown are combined results from two independent experiments with six mice per group, error bars show SEM. Analysis with students t test revealed no significant statistical difference of the mean (p = 0,73 (B) and p = 0,13 (C, three and more division cycles). This result was reproduced in two other independent experiment using five control and seven <i>Ov</i>7-treated mice.