Immunogenic Evaluation of Ribosomal P-Protein Antigen P0, P1, and P2 and Pentameric Protein Complex P0-(P1-P2)₂ of Plasmodium falciparum in a Mouse Model

Figure 3

T-helper 1 cell response after threefold immunization with the recombinant ribosomal P. falciparum proteins. Two weeks after each vaccination (denoted here as I, II, and III), blood (a) and spleen cells (b) were analyzed by flow cytometry for the number of CD4+CD94+ (Th1) lymphocytes. (c) Representative dot plots of CD4+CD94+ cells in peripheral blood of mice immunized twice with the P0, P1, P2, P0-(P1-P2)₂, and Msp-1₁₉ proteins, as well as in the adjuvant control and untreated animals. Numbers in the dot plot quadrants indicate the Th1 cell percentage of total gated lymphocytes. Each data is presented as the of six mice. The differences were analyzed statistically with the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Dunn multiple comparison test. Statistically significant in comparison to the corresponding boost in the adjuvant group, . ^#Differences are statistically significant between the indicated protein and the other proteins after the same boost number, . We did not note significant differences between the untreated and adjuvant-treated animals.

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