Fig 5. Epitope-specificity repertoire of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the lungs.

For experimental design and codes of experimental groups, see Fig 1A and Table 1. Frequencies of epitope-specific cells among immunomagnetically-purified CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, retrieved from lung tissue at 48 hrs after the last challenge exposure to OVA aerosol, were determined by IFN-γ-based ELISPOT assay after sensitization with synthetic antigenic peptides. (A) Frequencies of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells recognizing the indicated viral epitopes. (B) Frequencies of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells recognizing the OVA epitopes OVA_323-339 (ISQAVHAAHAEINEAGR) and OVA_257-264 (SIINFEKL), respectively. Bars represent most probable numbers calculated by intercept-free linear regression analysis of data from graded numbers of effector cells each tested in triplicate cultures. Error bars indicate the 95% confidence intervals.