Figure 4. Immunization route impacts the protective efficacy of HSV-1 0ΔNLS.

Animals vaccinated in various tissues as described in Fig. 3 were challenged with 1000 PFU HSV-1 McKrae per eye to evaluate viral shedding in the ocular tear film (A) during the first 5 days PI and subsequently euthanized at day 7 PI to measure HSV-1 titers in the cornea, TG, and brainstem (B). Additionally, the cornea-draining mandibular lymph nodes (MLN) were collected and processed by flow cytometry to assess lymphocyte proliferation (C) with representative plots shown in (D). Dotted lines reflect the mean value observed in MLN from uninfected mice. Data reflect mean ± SEM and statistical differences were determined by two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons tests in (A) where n = 6–16/group, 4 independent experiments. One-way ANOVA with Student-Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons tests were utilized in (B) and (C), where n = 5–6 mice per group, 3 independent experiments. Asterisks reflect differences from the mean value of the naive control group unless indicated otherwise.