Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for producing a recombinant Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 2 protein (rDer p 2), comprising the steps of cultivating a Pichia pastoris yeast strain previously transformed with a rDer p 2 coding sequence, and isolating the rDer p 2 protein from said Pichia pastoris yeast strain. The invention also relates to compositions and kits comprising the rDer p 2 protein for therapeutic or diagnostic use.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a mucoadhesive composition, adapted for preventing and/or treating a pathological reaction of the immune system of an individual, by inducing a specific tolerance towards at least one antigen involved in said pathological reaction, comprising chitosan particles loaded with said at least one antigen involved in the pathological reaction, wherein the size of the loaded chitosan particles is of more than 800 nm.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a mucoadhesive composition, adapted for preventing and/or treating a pathological reaction of the immune system of an individual, by inducing a specific tolerance towards at least one antigen involved in said pathological reaction, comprising chitosan particles loaded with said at least one antigen involved in the pathological reaction, wherein the size of the loaded chitosan particles is of more than 800 nm.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for producing a recombinant Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 2 protein (rDer p 2), comprising the steps of cultivating a Pichia pastoris yeast strain previously transformed with a rDer p 2 coding sequence, and isolating the rDer p 2 protein from said Pichia pastoris yeast strain. The invention also relates to compositions and kits comprising the rDer p 2 protein for therapeutic or diagnostic use.

Abstract: Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule, is new. Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule comprising selecting at least one peptide (II) of 8-11 amino acids (aa), potentially representing an epitope for Class I presentation, from a protein against which a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is to be raised. (II) corresponds to a non-immunogenic peptide with low affinity for Class I molecules. Variants (IIa) of (II) are prepared in which the N-terminal aa is replaced by Tyr and their immunogenicity detected by identifying those that generate a CTL response against target cells expressing the parent protein. Peptide sequences from which active (IIa) are derived are then identified.

Abstract: Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule, is new. Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule comprising selecting at least one peptide (II) of 8-11 amino acids (aa), potentially representing an epitope for Class I presentation, from a protein against which a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is to be raised. (II) corresponds to a non-immunogenic peptide with low affinity for Class I molecules. Variants (IIa) of (II) are prepared in which the N-terminal aa is replaced by Tyr and their immunogenicity detected by identifying those that generate a CTL response against target cells expressing the parent protein. Peptide sequences from which active (IIa) are derived are then identified.

Abstract: Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule, is new. Identifying subdominant/cryptic epitopes (I) that are presented by a HLA (human leukocyte antigen) Class I molecule comprising selecting at least one peptide (II) of 8-11 amino acids (aa), potentially representing an epitope for Class I presentation, from a protein against which a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is to be raised. (II) corresponds to a non-immunogenic peptide with low affinity for Class I molecules. Variants (IIa) of (II) are prepared in which the N-terminal aa is replaced by Tyr and their immunogenicity detected by identifying those that generate a CTL response against target cells expressing the parent protein. Peptide sequences from which active (IIa) are derived are then identified.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for identifying sub-dominant/cryptic epitopes exhibited by a class I HLA molecule, said method comprising at least the following steps: a) selecting, from the sequence of a protein with respect to which it is desired to induce a cytotoxic T lymphocyte response, at least a peptide sequence of 8 to 11 amino acids capable of constituting an epitope of said protein exhibited by a class I HLA molecule, and corresponding to a peptide with low affinity for said class I HLA molecule and non-immunogenic; b) preparing, for each selected sequence, a variant peptide derived from said sequence, by substituting the N-terminal amino acid with a tyrosine residue; c) determining the immunogenicity of each variant peptide obtained at step b) by selecting, among the latter, each immunogenic peptide, generating a CTL response specific to the target cells expressing the protein wherefrom it is derived and identifying the peptide sequence wherefrom said immunogenic peptide is derived.