Fig. 3. Ir-Cm induces Chlamydia-specific cell-mediated immunity in an MDP-dependent manner.

Spleens were obtained from naïve animals, animals previously infected with Cm, mice immunized with adjuvant (CpG), or Cm EBs irradiated in the presence (+) or absence (−) of MDP. Each group consists of spleens from five mice (exception, CpG Ir-Cm group, n = 4) that were stimulated with Cm irradiated in the presence or absence of MDP (MDP+/MDP−, respectively). Cytokine induction was assessed using the Luminex 17-Plex assay. a Levels of nine cytokines produced by splenocytes restimulated with Ir-Cm (+/− MDP). Differences in individual cytokine levels (between the control and vaccine groups) that reached statistical significance are presented by asterisks. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean. Groups were compared utilizing two-way ANOVA with multiple comparisons. ****p < 0.0001, ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. b Spider plots for all cytokines/conditions examined from splenocytes restimulated with Ir-Cm (+MDP). All cytokine levels were normalized to the Cm pre-exposed group (Cm) and individual cytokines were split into three plots based on functional category. Plots using exact cytokine values produced from splenocytes restimulated with either Ir-Cm or Ir-Cm + MDP are provided in Supplementary Fig. 6.