Abstract: The present invention relates to immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope. Said peptides are modified such that CD4+ T-cell responses are obtainable that arc much stronger than the CD4+ T-cell responses obtained with the same peptides not comprising said modification. In particular, the modification is the addition of a cysteine, insertion of a cysteine or mutation into a cysteine of a residue at a position adjacent to but outside the MIIC-binding site of the peptide. Further disclosed are the use of such modified peptides in treating, suppressing or preventing diseases such as infectious or allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases, in preventing or suppressing graft rejection, or in the eradication of tumor cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope derived from an intracellular pathogen-associated antigen and a redox motif such as C-(X)2-[CST] or [CST]-(X)2-C in the prevention and/or treatment of infection with an intracellular pathogen and in the manufacture of medicaments therefore.

Abstract: The present invention relates to immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope. Said peptides are modified such that CD4+ T-cell responses are obtainable that are much stronger than the CD4+ T-cell responses obtained with the same peptides not comprising said modification. In particular, the modification is the addition of a cysteine, insertion of a cysteine or mutation into a cysteine of a residue at a position adjacent to but outside the MHC-binding site of the peptide. Further disclosed are the use of such modified peptides in treating, suppressing or preventing diseases such as infectious or allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases, in preventing or suppressing graft rejection, or in the eradication of tumor cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method to determine, based on the activation level of NKT cells, the capacity of a peptidic epitope to selectively bind to CD1a, CD1b and/or CD1c proteins, a corresponding method to increase or decrease the selective binding of the peptidic epitope to CD1a, CD1b and/or CD1c proteins by modifying the epitope or its flanking regions, the corresponding modified epitopes and the activated NKT cells or parts thereof obtainable by these methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to peptides such as HCPYCSLQPLALEGSLQKRG and their use in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and the generation of cytolytic CD4+ T cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated immunogenic peptides comprising a MHC class II T cell epitope, and immediately adjacent or separated from said epitope a H-X(0,2)-C-X(2)-[CST] or [CST]-X(2)-C-X(0,2)-H redox motif.

Abstract: The invention relates to peptides such as HCPYCSLQPLALEGSLQKRG and their use in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and the generation of cytolytic CD4+ T cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel peptides and homologues thereof. The peptides of the invention comprise (i) a T-cell epitope of an antigen (self or non-self) with a potential to trigger an immune reaction presented by a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) determinant and recognised by CD4+ T cell more specifically of an allergen or auto-antigen, coupled, optionally through the use of a linker to (ii) an amino acid sequence having a reducing activity, such as a thioreductase sequence. The peptides of the invention have been shown to be useful a medicine, more in particular for the prevention or treatment of immune disorders, more specifically of allergic disorders or autoimmune diseases. The present invention thus provides for the use of said peptides for the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention or treatment of an immune disorder and further provides for methods of treatment or preventing immune disorders by using said peptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope derived from an allograft antigen and a redox motif such as C-(X)2-[CST] (SEQ ID NO: 18) or [CST]-(X)2-C(SEQ ID NO: 19) in the prevention and/or treatment of allograft rejection and in the manufacture of medicaments therefore.

Abstract: The application relates to methods for determining a parameter such as toxicity and pharmacokinetic behavior for a pharmaceutical compound against a disease or disorder. The test animals being used are non-human animals not suffering from or is not showing symptoms or signs of the disorder and which do not provoke an immune response against said pharmaceutical compound. These animals are obtainable by administration of a peptide comprising an oxidoreductase motif further comprising an NKT peptide epitope or an MHC class II T cell epitope of said pharmaceutical compound, wherein said motif and said epitope are separated by a linker of between 0 and 4 amino acids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope derived from a soluble allofactor and a redox motif such as C-(X)2-[CST] or [CST]-(X)2-C in the prevention and/or suppression of immune responses to said soluble allofactor and in the manufacture of medicaments therefore.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel peptides and homologues thereof. The peptides of the invention comprise (i) a T-cell epitope of an antigen (self or non-self) with a potential to trigger an immune reaction presented by a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) determinant and recognised by CD4+ T cell more specifically of an allergen or auto-antigen, coupled, optionally through the use of a linker to (ii) an amino acid sequence having a reducing activity, such as a thioreductase sequence. The peptides of the invention have been shown to be useful a medicine, more in particular for the prevention or treatment of immune disorders, more specifically of allergic disorders or autoimmune diseases. The present invention thus provides for the use of said peptides for the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention or treatment of an immune disorder and further provides for methods of treatment or preventing immune disorders by using said peptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope derived from a tumor-associated antigen and a redox motif such as C-(X)2-[CST] or [CST]-(X)2-C in the treatment of a tumor or in the treatment or prevention of a tumor relapse, and in the manufacture of medicaments therefore.

Abstract: The present invention relates an in vitro method for detecting class II restricted CD4+ T cells in a sample. Herein a sample is contacted with an isolated complex of an MHC class II molecule and a peptide. This peptide comprises an MHC class II restricted T cell epitope of an antigenic protein and immediately adjacent thereof, or separated by a linker of at most 7 amino acids a sequence with a [CST]-xx-C or C-xx-[CST] motif. CD4+ T cells are detected by measuring the binding of the complex with cells in the sample, wherein the binding of the complex to a cell is indicative for the presence of CD4+ T cells in the sample. The present invention further relates to an isolated complex of an MHC Class II molecule and a peptide comprising an MHC class II restricted T cell epitope of an antigenic protein and immediately adjacent thereof, or separated by a linker of at most 7 amino acids a sequence with a [CST]-xx-C or C-xx-[CST] motif.

Abstract: The invention relates to peptides such as HCPYCSLQPLALEGSLQKRG and their use in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and the generation of cytolytic CD4+ T cell.

Abstract: The invention describes new peptides containing epitopes recognized by CD4+ natural killer T (NKT) cells for increasing activity for use in infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, immune reaction to administration of allofactors, allergic diseases, therapy of tumors, prevention of graft rejection and prevention of immunization against viral proteins used in gene therapy or gene vaccination.

Abstract: The invention describes factor VIII molecules with reduced capacity to elicit activation of NKT cells for use in the treatment of congenital and/or acquired haemophilia A and in bleeding disorders. Said factor VIII molecule is obtainable by: a. identification of at least one NKT cell epitope wherein said epitope comprises hydrophobic aminoacid residues in position P1 and/or P7 b. modification of said epitope(s) by eliminating at least one hydrophobic aminoacid residue in position P1 and/or P7, substituting at least one hydrophobic aminoacid residue in position P1 and/or P7 with a non-hydrophobic residue, or adding a non-hydrophobic residue in position P1 and/or P7.

Abstract: The invention describes kit of parts of polypeptides comprising: a) a peptide comprising: a1) an MHC class II T cell epitope or a CD1 d-restricted NKT cell epitope, and a2) immediately adjacent to said epitope or separated by at most 7 amino acids from said epitope a [CST]-X(2)-C [SEQ ID NO:7] or C-X(2)-[CST] [SEQ ID NO:8] oxidoreductase motif sequence, and b) a polypeptide comprising: b1) a therapeutic protein and b2) the epitope defined in a1), wherein the epitope sequence is a sequence which differs from the sequence of the protein of b1). The therapeutic protein, in combination with the peptide, is used to prevent an immune response against the therapeutic protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated immunogenic peptides comprising a MHC class II T cell epitope, and immediately adjacent or separated from said epitope a H-X(0,2)-C-X(2)-[CST] or [CST]-X(2)-C-X(0,2)-H redox motif.

Abstract: The invention describes new peptides containing epitopes recognized by CD4+ natural killer T (NKT) cells for increasing activity for use in infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, immune reaction to administration of allofactors, allergic diseases, therapy of tumors, prevention of graft rejection and prevention of immunization against viral proteins used in gene therapy or gene vaccination.