Figure 8. Improved induction of FV-specific CD8⁺ T cells by vaccination with CD11c-scFv-IDRgag treated DCs followed by FV challenge.

(A and B) By gating on CD43/CD44 double positive effector CD8⁺ T cell population the frequency of FVgag tetramer⁺ cells was measured at 4 dpi. We detected significant induction of FV-specific CTL-response in mice injected with DCs loaded with CD11c-scFvIDRgag (5.08±0.57 percent specific FVgag tetramer⁺ CD8⁺ T cells), when compared to mice inoculated with control-scFv-IDRgag loaded DCs (2.08±0.43 percent specific FVgag tetramer⁺ CD8⁺ T cells). At 4 days post FV challenge mice injected with non-loaded DC showed nearly no detectable FV-specific CTL responses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Significance was labeled with * if p<0.05, ** if p<0.01, *** if p<0.001. Data represents results from one experiment. (C) Investigating the total number of FV-specific CD8⁺ T cells per 10⁷ CD8⁺ T cells, we found significant higher number of FV-specific CTLs in mice vaccinated with bmDC/CD11c-scFv-IDRgag (11803±1855) compared to both mice inoculated non-loaded or control-scFv-IDRgag loaded DCs (4020±599 and 5782±916, respectively). Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Significance was labeled with * if p<0.05, ** if p<0.01, *** if p<0.001. Data represents results from one experiment.