Figure 2. Improved protection of MTBVAC compared to BCG is dependent on the host genetics.

(a,b,c) Antigen-specific IFNγ production following stimulation with PPD (5 μg ml⁻¹), ESAT6 (2 μg ml⁻¹), CFP10 (2 μg ml⁻¹) and Ag85B (2 μg ml⁻¹) during 48 h of splenocytes from mock-, BCG- and MTBVAC-vaccinated C57BL/6, BALB/c and C3H/HeNRj mice. (d–i) Lung (d,e,f) and spleen (g,h,i) bacterial load 4 weeks post low-dose H37Rv intranasal challenge. C57BL/6 (d,g), BALB/c (e,h) and C3H/HeNRj (f,i) were vaccinated with BCG, MTBVAC or unvaccinated eight weeks before challenge. (a,b,c) Data are representative from one of two independent experiments (n=5 mice per group per experiment). (d–i) Data in the graphs represent a pool of two independent experiments (n=12 mice per group). All data are mean±s.e.m. (a,b,c) NS, non-significant; ***P<0.001 by unpaired t-student test. (d–i) NS, non-significant; *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001 by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-test.