Figure 3. Rapamycin CD8⁺ T cells increase the ability to resist IL-2 withdrawal.

P14 CD44^loCD8⁺ T_N were stimulated for 6 days in vitro with B6-derived DCs pulsed with gp33 plus IL-2, in the absence or presence of rapamycin (100 nM). Control CD8⁺ T cells and rapamycin CD8⁺ T cells were then collected, washed three times and seeded in secondary cultures without addition of IL-2 (A), or with addition of neutralizing anti-IL-2 Ab (B). Cells were recovered at indicated time points from secondary cultures, counted and calculated the live cell ratio as described in Fig. 1. Data are represented as means ± SD. Results are representative of three independently performed experiments. *p<0.05, significant difference. n.s., no significant difference.