Figure 2.

CD8⁺ T Cells Are More Sensitive to Suboptimal Antigens Than CD4⁺ T Cells In Vitro

LN T cells or thymocytes from OT-I mice (blue) or B3K508 mice (red) were stimulated by BMDCs loaded with indicated concentrations of indicated peptides overnight.

(A and B) CD69 levels on T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. EC₅₀ concentrations of peptides are indicated (A). The ratio of the area under curve of the % CD69⁺ T cells in the periphery versus thymus (B). Mean + SEM; n = 4 mice in 4 independent experiments.

(C and D) The cells were stimulated by BMDCs loaded with a 10⁻⁵-M concentration of indicated peptides, fixed at indicated time points, and analyzed for phosphorylation of ERK1/2 by flow cytometry. Mean + SEM; n = 6–10 independent experiments (C). The ratio of area under curve of % pERK1/2⁺ T cells in the periphery versus thymus. Mean + SEM, n = 6–10 mice in 6–10 independent experiments (D). Statistical analysis was performed using 2-tailed Mann-Whitney test.

See also Figure S2.