Figure 3. Long-term CTL memory responses in infected/treated animals versus control mice.

Mice were challenged with FrCas^E-infected splenocytes on days 56 or 116 post-infection and 9 days later CD8⁺ T-cell responses were assessed by measuring both the percentage of GagL-specific CD8⁺ T cells and specific in vivo CTL activity as described in the Methods section. (A–B) Assay of GagL-specific memory CTL responses in infected/treated and infected/non-treated mice challenged on days 56 or 116 post-infection. Infected/treated and infected/non-treated mice were challenged on day 56 (3 mice per group) or on day 116 (2 mice per group). Non-challenged age-matched non-infected/non-treated mice (3 on day 56 and 2 on day 116) were used as controls. The statistical significance of data between the infected/treated group and the other two groups was established using a non-parametric one-way ANOVA test with Dunn's multiple comparison post-test (*P<0,05). (C–D) Assay of GagL-specific memory CTL responses in infected/treated mice challenged at month 8 post-infection. Eight month-old infected/treated mice were challenged with FrCas^E-infected splenocytes. Non-challenged aged-matched non-infected/non-treated mice were used as controls. Statistical significance of data between infected/treated- and non-infected/non-treated mice was established using the Student's t test (**P = 0,0034; *** P = 0,0015). Bars indicate mean values.