Figure 5. Oral vaccination with NC8-pSIP409-NP-M1-DCpep elicits enhanced T cell immune responses.

The antigen-specific cytokine secretion from MLNs and splenocytes of C57BL/6 mice was detected two weeks after oral immunization. (a,b) The number of IFN-γ spot forming cells (SFC) from MLNs and splenocytes was determined by using an Elispot assay. (c) The frequency of antigen-specific IFN-γ-producing CD4⁺ T cells and CD8⁺ T cells in the MLN was detected by flow cytometry. The data are the mean values ± SEM (n = 5) and were analysed by using a one-way ANOVA, assuming a Gaussian distribution, followed by Dunnett’s post-test and are expressed relative to PBS, NC8-pSIP409 and NC8-pSIP409-NP-M1-Ctrlpep and to the H9N2 inactivated vaccine (*P < 0.05, and ***P < 0.001). The data shown represent one of the three experiments with equivalent results.