Figure 3
Cell proliferation response of PBMCs after stimulation with (A) vaccine soluble antigen (VSA) and (B) soluble L. infantum antigen (SLiA). The lower panels show the immunophenotypic profile of in vitro PBMCs following stimulation with (C) VSA and (D) SLiA determined at 90, 435, and 885 dac (days after challenge with L. infantum plus SGE) for vaccinated groups: C (control;
); Sal (SGE;
); LBSal (killed Leishmania braziliensis vaccine plus SGE;
); LBSapSal (killed L. braziliensis vaccine plus saponin plus SGE;
). The results are expressed as the ratio of mean frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in the stimulated cultures over non-stimulated cultures (SC/CC). Significant differences (p < 0.05) between values measured at 90, 435, and 885 dac under the same group are indicated by connecting lines, and between the LBSapSal and the control C, Sal and LBSal groups are represented by the letters a, b, and c, respectively.