Figure 4
Effect of immunization protocol on size and G2a content of the M2e(pep-nat)-specific Ab response. A. M2e(pep-nat)-specific Ab titers in pooled plasma samples collected three weeks after second immunization from mice vaccinated with M2e-MAP according to the protocol indicated below the x axis. Each dot shows the titer of pooled plasma from 3–5 mice. Horizontal bars indicate the GMTs of groups within a given vaccination protocol. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's Multiple Comparison post test. Statistically significant differences between group are indicated by asterisks above two-sided arrows: p < 0.05 (*), p < 0.01 (**). B. Pooled plasma from 4–5 mice/group collected three weeks after second and third immunization were tested for concentration of Cκ- (total) and γ 2a-expressing M2e(pep-nat)-specific Ab titers and the latter were expressed as percentage of the former. In groups that were immunized three times, the mean percentage of G2a after 2nd and 3rd immunization is shown. Groups with low M2e(pep-nat)-specific Ab titers that did not permit detection of G2a at ≤5% were excluded from the analysis. Horizontal bars show GMTs within distinct immunization protocols. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's Multiple Comparison post test and marked as in A.