Figure 2.
CD8+ T cell responses induced by i.v. injection of various model antigens can be enhanced by coadministration of α-GalCer. (A) Whole OVA (400 μg/mouse) was injected i.v. into C57BL/6 mice together with either α-GalCer (1 μg/mouse) or vehicle. Induction of OVA257–264–specific CD8+ T cell responses was assessed in the blood by FACS analysis 7 days later. FACS profiles of naive animals (Control) and those receiving OVA with α-GalCer or with vehicle are shown. (B) Whole β-gal protein (400 μg/mouse) was injected together with either α-GalCer or vehicle, and then all recipient animals were injected with vacc–β-gal (5 × 105 PFU/mouse) 7 days later in order to expose weakly primed responses. Induction of CD8+ T cell responses specific for β-gal96–103 was assessed in the blood 7 days after vaccinia treatment. (C) Animals immunized with β-gal protein together with α-GalCer, followed by vacc–β-gal, were challenged 7 days later with the β-gal–expressing tumor Z16 injected i.v. Growth of lung metastases was compared with growth observed in unimmunized animals (Tumor only).