Immunological Characterization of Plant-Based HIV-1 Gag/Dgp41 Virus-Like Particles - Fig 2

(A) Immunization scheme for systemic immunization. Mice were given three priming immunizations on Weeks 0, 2, and 4, and two boosting immunizations on Weeks 8 and 10 (black arrows). Mice in Group 1 were primed and boosted with CTB-MPR; mice in Group 2 were primed with CTB-MPR and boosted with VLPs; mice in Group 3 were primed with VLPs and boosted with CTB-MPR, mice in Group 4 were primed and boosted with VLPs, and mice in Group 5 were mock immunized with plant derived proteins as described in the Methods. Blood samples were taken on Weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, 10, and 12 (red arrows). (B) Immunization scheme for mucosal immunization. Mice were given four priming immunizations on Weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3, and two boosting immunizations on Weeks 7 and 8 (black arrows). Mice in Group 1 were mucosally primed with VLPs and murabutide and systemically boosted with VLPs; mice in Group 2 were mucosally primed with VLPs and CT and systemically boosted with VLPs; mice in Group 3 were mucosally primed with VLPs and CT and systemically boosted with CTB-MPRs; mice in Group 4 were mucosally primed with CTB-MPR and CT and systemically boosted with VLPs; mice in Group 5 were mucosally primed with CTB-MPR and CT and systemically boosted with CTB-MPR, and mice in Group 6 were systemically primed and boosted with VLPs. Blood, fecal, and vaginal samples were taken on Weeks 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 12 (red arrows).