Cd1 peptide-epitope for use in the treatment of a disease caused by an intracellular pathogen

A method of treating a disease, comprising:

• providing a CD1 peptide-epitope for use in the prevention or in the treatment of the disease, wherein the disease is caused by an intracellular pathogen, wherein the CD1 peptide-epitope is a fragment of a protein expressed by the intracellular pathogen, wherein:
• said CD1 peptide-epitope includes the sequence X1X2X3X4X5X6X7;
• said X2, X3, X4, X5, and X6 independently stand for any amino acid;
• and
• said X1 and X7 residues are independently F, W, T, H, or Y;
• administering the CD1 peptide-epitope to a subject having the disease;
• and
• administering at least one of:
• an inactivated form of the intracellular pathogen to the subject after administering the CD1 peptide-epitope;
• or
• a second peptide based on a protein of said intracellular pathogen to the subject after administering the CD1 peptide-epitope, said second peptide comprises the CD1 epitope-epitope and at least one MHC Class I epitope.

The method according to claim 1, wherein:

• said CD1 peptide-epitope is obtainable by an in vitro method for identifying one or several peptide-epitope(s) to activate NKT cells in a Th1-like and/or cytotoxic response towards an intracellular pathogen,
• said in vitro method comprises the steps of:
• identifying a CD1 peptide epitope in the said intracellular pathogen, and
• measuring in vitro the capacity of the identified CD1 peptide epitope to activate NKT cells in a Th1-like and/or cytotoxic response.

A kit for use in the treatment of a disease caused by an intracellular pathogen comprising:

• a first peptide being a CD1 peptide-epitope, and
• a second peptide derived from said intracellular pathogen and being a peptide comprising said first peptide being the CD1 peptide-epitope in addition to other epitopes, wherein the CD1 peptide-epitope is a fragment of a protein expressed by the intracellular pathogen, wherein:
• said CD1 peptide-epitope includes the sequence X1X2X3X4X5X6X7;
• said X2, X3, X4, X5, and X6 independently stand for any amino acid;
• and
• said X1 and X7 residues are independently F, W, T, H, or Y.