FIG. 5.

Detection of IFN-γ-producing cells among PBMCs from HBV-infected patients in response to stimulation with 15-mer peptides. PBMCs from 12 individuals with chronic HBV infection (P1, P2, and P4 to P13) and 6 healthy controls (C1 to C6) were stimulated in vitro with four pools of 15-mer peptides covering the region from amino acids 39 to 111, and IFN-γ-secreting T cells were quantified by ELISPOT assays. Positive responses observed after stimulation with pool 54-78 were further characterized by using the three individual peptides included in the pool. Results are expressed as described in the legend to Fig. 4.