The antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cell immune response is dependent on TGFβ neutralization.

<p>(<i>A</i>) Plasmid DNA antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cell immune responses after TGFβ-neutralization by specific antibody (anti-TGFβ) in wildtype C57BL/6 mice; control group treated with an isotype matched antibody (isotype IgG) is also shown. (<i>B</i>) Plasmid DNA antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cell immune responses after TGFβ-neutralization by specific antibody (anti-TGFβ) in <i>beige</i> mice; control group treated with an isotype-matched control antibody (isotype IgG) is also shown. TGFβ was neutralized via i.p. administration of anti-TGFβ neutralizing antibody 3 days prior to and on the same day of vaccination. Epitope-specific CD8⁺ T cell responses were measured in 5 mice per group by D^b/AL11 tetramer staining of CD8⁺ T cells at the indicated times following plasmid DNA vaccine inoculation. Line graphs represent mean values, and error bars represent SEM. Statistically significant differences at specific times were determined by Mann-Whitney test. Significant differences are indicated by asterisks (p<0.05).