FIG 3.

Hexon_486–494, but not DBP_418–426, impairs the induction of GagL_85–93-specific CD8⁺ T cell responses. CB6F1 mice were immunized once with DNA plasmids encoding strings of epitope-comprising sequences of F-MuLV leader-Gag, Ad5 DNA-binding protein (DBP), and Ad5 hexon. Three different constructs were employed, comprising the native leader-Gag-derived sequence and two alanine-modified Ad-derived sequences or one native sequence and one alanine-modified Ad-derived sequence. (A) Mice were immunized by intramuscular injection of 30 μg DNA, followed by in vivo electroporation. The GagL_85–93-specific CD8⁺ T cell response was analyzed 2 weeks after immunization by MHC I tetramer staining. (B) Data were acquired in three independent experiments, using four mice per group per experiment. Each dot indicates an individual mouse, and lines indicate mean values. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks and Dunn's multiple-comparison procedure for statistical significance. *, statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) compared to unvaccinated mice.