Figure 5. Analysis of HSV-specific CD8⁺ cells in relevant tissues after infection.

Cells were obtained from mice inoculated with HSV-2/gD or HSV-2/gD-Δ7-15 (0.6×10⁶ PFU/mouse). Left panels: Number of IFN-γ-producing T-cells responding to the immunodominant gB_496–503 epitope (SSIEFARL), per 10⁶ leukocytes extracted from the tissues indicated on the days indicated after virus inoculation. Cells isolated from the different tissues were evaluated by IFN-γ ELISPOT. There were no statistical differences in mean values between groups of mice at any time point. Right panels: Quantitation of gB_496–503-specific CD8⁺ T-cells extracted from the tissues indicated on the days indicated after virus inoculation, expressed as a percentage of CD8⁺ cells. Cells isolated from the different tissues were labeled with fluorescent antibodies to murine CD8 and either CD3 or CD4, along with fluorescently tagged DimerX loaded with gB_496–503. Lymphocytes were gated based on forward- and side-scatter, and percentages of DimerX-gB_496–503 ⁺ CD8⁺ CD4⁻ cells determined. Results are expressed at the means and SD of 3–12 mice per time point; mean values with statistical differences are highlighted, with p values reported above the data.