Figure 5.

Loss of Bim enhances CTL immune responses to HSV in IL-7Rα^−/− mice, but does not accelerate viral clearance. Control WT, Bim ^−/−, IL-7Rα^−/−, Bim ^+/− IL-7Rα^−/−, and Bim ^−/− IL-7Rα^−/− mice were infected with HSV by injection into both hind feet. (A) On day 7 after infection, HSV-specific CTLs in the spleen were enumerated by staining with antibodies to CD8 plus PE-conjugated MHC class I tetrameric complexes incorporating the gB_498–505 HSV glycoprotein peptide SSIEFARL, the major epitope from HSV recognized by CD8⁺ T cells. Total numbers of HSV-specific CTLs are listed above the dot plots and the percentages of CD8⁺ T cells binding to gB_498–505 HSV presented by MHC class I are indicated in the top right quadrants. (B) The means ± SD of such analyses using at least three mice of each genotype are shown. (C) The kinetics of viral clearance in the infected mice as determined by viral plaque assays on extracts from feet are shown. Data shown represent means ± SD of viral PFUs for both feet from at least three mice of each genotype for each time point.