Fig. 2.

Peptide nanofibers displaying CD8⁺ epitopes are taken up by DCs in draining lymph nodes, and attached epitopes are presented within MHC-I. Twenty hours after intranasal administration, TAMRA-labeled peptides in nanofibers were taken up by DCs in the draining mediastinal lymph nodes, whereas soluble peptides were not (A and B; Dose: 50 μL of 2 mM peptide). In vitro, SIINFEKL delivered as a soluble peptide and as SIINFEKLQ11 nanofibers was cross-presented by BMDCs in a dose-dependent manner, as detected by B3Z CD8⁺ hybridoma T cells that specifically recognize SIINFEKL presented in MHC-I H-2K^b (C). Data shown were combined from two independent experiments, with n = 6 for PBS and n = 4 for nanofibers and soluble epitopes in A and B. One representative experiment of 3 repeats is shown in C. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical significance was tested by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison (***p < 0.001).