Fig 5. T cell depletion does not affect survival of vaccinated mice.

(A) Timeline of experiment in days. Mice were prime-boost vaccinated 3 weeks apart (days 0 and 21) sc with 10⁶ FFUe of POW-VLP adjuvanted with 10nmol INI-4001. The mock group was injected with PBS vehicle alone. Mice were then treated ip with 100 μg of either CD4−depleting, CD8−depleting, or non-depleting isotype control (n=5/group) 3 weeks post-boost (day 39) and again three days later (day 42). Mice were challenged with a lethal 10⁴ FFU dose of POWV-LB ip at time of second depletion (day 42). Blood was collected by tail vein 3 days after second administration of depleting antibodies to confirm T cell depletion (day 45). Survival and weights of mice monitored to day 21 endpoint post-challenge (day 63). (B-D) Representative flow plots of T cells from (B) CD4−, (C) CD8−, or (D) control-depleted mice 3 days post-depletion. Cells gated on CD45⁺ CD3⁺ CD19⁻ CD4⁺/CD8⁺. (E-F) Survival (E) and weights (F) of mock (dashed lines) or INI-4001 (solid lines) vaccinated mice after depletion of either CD4⁺ (yellow) or CD8⁺ (green) T cells compared to isotype control (red). (E) Statistical significance determined by log rank test with Bonferroni correction to compare depleted groups to isotype control. No significant differences were found. (F) Weights represented as mean percent of initial weights ± SEM. Data represent one experiment.