Figure 4. MVAΔC12L elicits higher cellular responses at lower doses of immunization and by different immunization routes.

Groups of four BALB/c mice were immunized by intraperitoneal (IP) intramuscular (IM) or intranasal (IN) route with 10⁷ pfu of MVAwt (white bars) or MVAΔC12L (black bars) and seven dpi specific-CD8⁺ T-cell responses against E3 and F2(G) peptides were evaluated in the spleen. The magnitude of the response was measured by IFN-γ Elispot assay after 24 hr stimulation. Background (RPMI control) subtracted results are depicted as mean IFN-γ spot forming units (SFU) per 10⁶ splenocytes ± SD. Statistically significant differences: *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.