Figure 3.

Effects of rIpaB and rIpaB+rGroEL (co-administration) immunization on lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-γ production. (a) Groups of female BALB/c mice (n=6) were immunized i.n. with 40 µg/mouse of rGroEL/rIpaB alone/rIpaB+rGroEL. Subsequent booster doses were given on the seventh and twenty-eighth days. The control group of mice (n=6) was immunized with sterile PBS. After the last immunization, the splenocytes were isolated and cultured ((1×10⁵ cells/well) either in the absence (unstimulated) or in the presence (stimulated) of rIpaB/rGroEL for 72 h in a CO₂ incubator at 37 °C. The absorbance was measured at 570 nm. (b) After the last immunization, the splenocytes were isolated and cultured for 72 h in a CO₂ incubator at 37 °C to estimate the IFN-γ production. The absorbance was measured in culture supernatants at 450 nm. P<0.001, * vs. control UI, a vs. control-induced, b vs. IpaB-induced, c vs. IpaB-GroEL-induced. IFN-γ, interferon-gamma; i.n., intranasally.