Figure 2. Recognition of IE-1 peptide variants by HLA B8 transplant recipients and healthy volunteers.

(a) PBMC from HLA B8 CMV-seropositive individuals were co-stained with a PE-conjugated HLA B8/ELK_IYM dextramer and an APC conjugated HLA B8/ELR_MYM dextramer, then labeled with anti-CD8. The frequency of MHC multimer positive CD8⁺ T cells from individuals displaying the four distinct patterns of dextramer binding is shown. (b) PBMC from HLA B8-positive transplant recipients and healthy volunteers were incubated for five hours with the HLA B8-restricted IE-1 encoded peptide epitope variants, labeled with anti-CD8 and then assessed for intracellular expression of IFN-γ. Data shows the percentage of IFN-γ producing CD8⁺ T cells reactive against each of the epitope variants in a total of 5 transplant recipients and 5 healthy volunteers.