Table 1.

Average IFN-γ production by splenocytes of HCV core DNA immunized mice after in vitro stimulation with HCV core-derived peptides correlate to the ability of respective core gene to induce ROS production and oxidative stress response. R values reflecting significant correlations are given in red (p < 0.05; Spearman ranking test).

Parameter	Correlates
	Total IFN-γ Production to All Peptides	IFN-γ Core 1-152	IFN-γ Core Peptide Pool 1 1	IFN-γ Core Peptide Pool 2 2	IFN-γ Core Peptide Pool 3 3
ROS	0.857143	0.882919	0.637748	0.600000	0.637748
Nqo1	0.750000	0.774806	0.637748	0.600000	0.637748
HO-1	0.571429	0.540562	0.985611	0.942857	0.811679
ROS normalized to vector	0.535714	0.504525	0.927634	0.885714	0.753702
Nqo1 normalized to vector	0.821429	0.792825	0.985611	0.942857	0.811679
HO-1 normalized to vector	0.785714	0.756787	0.927634	0.885714	0.753702
ROS normalized to effect of core152v	−0.750000	−0.774806	−0.637748	−0.600000	−0.637748
Nqo1 normalized to effect of core152v	−0.857143	−0.882919	−0.811679	−0.771429	−0.637748
HO-1 normalized to effect of core152v	0.857143	0.882919	0.637748	0.600000	0.637748

¹ Pool 1—aa 1–56 (1–20, 13–33, 34–42, 34–56); ² Pool 2—aa 63–126 (63–80, 76–90, 106–126). ³ Pool 3—aa 129–177 (129–145, 141–160, 155–177).