Chlamydial Type III Secretion System Needle Protein Induces Protective Immunity against Chlamydia muridarum Intravaginal Infection

Figure 5

Prime-boost immunization with AdTC_0037/rTC0037-MPLA induces specific IFN-γ-producing CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ responses. BALB/c mice ( per group) were immunized intranasally with Ad-TC_0037 and boosted subcutaneously with rTC_0037-MPLA. Mice infected intravaginally with Chlamydia muridarum were used as controls. Two weeks after the boost, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells were isolated and stimulated in vitro with TC_0037 or UV-killed C. muridarum. ELISPOT counts (spot-forming units [SFUs]) in response to TC_0037 and C. muridarum were analyzed. Results are presented as the mean SFU per 2 × 10⁵ splenocytes ± SEM (; ≤ 0.01; ≤ 0.05 relative to Ad-null-MPLA immunized mice).

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)