FIG. 1.

Qualitative enhancement of CD8+ vaccine responses using peptide inhibition of vector-specific T-cells. Central nervous system infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed for the presence of CD8+ T-cells specific for virus antigen, as well as ovalbumin vaccine antigen after immunization with antigen encoding TMEV-OVA8. (A) H-2D^b/VP2_121–130-specific responses after control SV40 Lg T peptide or VP2_121–130 peptide administration. (B) H-2K^b/OVA_257–264-specific responses after control and VP2_121–130 peptide administration. (C) Left: Percent of the CD45+ infiltrating population that are H-2D^b/VP2_121–130 or H-2K^b/OVA_257–264 specific. Right: Number of CD45+ VP2₁₂₁+or OVA₂₅₇+cells (^ap<0.05, rank-sum test; *p<0.05, t-test). (D) Viral central nervous system RNA levels as measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction from animals infected with TMEV viruses for 6 days with or without prior peptide treatment (*p<0.05 compared to all, t-test).