Aspects of the disclosure relate to chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comprising an antigen binding domain (e.g., anti-TSHR), transmembrane domain (e.g., CD28), and a cytoplasmic domain (e.g., CD27, CD-137, etc.) and a safety mechanism comprising an inducible apoptosis trigger. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to use of the CARs in T cells, compositions, kits and methods for the treatment of thyroid cancers.

Disclosed are methods of eliminating at least on target cell in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a plurality of immune cells, wherein each immune cell of the plurality expresses one or more chimeric ligand receptor(s) (CLR(s)) that each specifically bind to a target ligand on the at least one target cell, wherein specifically binding of the one or more CLR(s) to the target activates the immune cell, and wherein the activated immune cell induces death of the target cell. Exemplary target cells include, but are not limited to, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

Provided herein are modified caspase-9 polypeptides, and chimeric caspase-9 proteins containing the modified caspase-9 polypeptides. The disclosure further provides polynucleotides encoding these proteins, engineered host cells containing these polynucleotides and proteins, including host cells that co-express a chimeric antigen receptor, and methods of making and using the same.

Provided are a method of screening an inhibitor of caspase activity by lipopolysaccharide and a method of screening a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases or sepsis using the same. Accordingly, it is possible to develop a caspase-4-specific inhibitor.

Disclosed herein are cells that are immune cells or precursor cells thereof, which cells recombinantly express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), and a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a cell-mediated immune response of the immune cell, wherein the CAR binds to a cancer antigen. Also disclosed herein are T cells that recognize and are sensitized to a cancer antigen, which T cells recombinantly express a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a T cell-mediated immune response. Additionally provided are methods of using such cells to treat cancer in a subject in need thereof.

Provided nucleic acid-based expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, within a target cell, including a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell. Also provided are formulations and systems, including fusogenic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations and systems, for the delivery of nucleic acid-based expression constructs as well as methods for making and using such nucleic acid-based expression constructs, formulations, and systems for reducing, preventing, and/or eliminating the growth and/or survival of a cell, such as a senescent cell and/or a cancer cell, which is associated with aging, disease, or other condition as well as methods for the treatment of aging, disease, or other conditions by the in vivo administration of a formulation, such as a fusogenic LPN formulation, comprising an expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, in a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell.

Methods and materials for specific imaging of active enzyme in a live or intact cell are disclosed. The enzyme of interest tagged to reporter protein (donor) is exogenously expressed in a cell. The conversion of proenzyme to active enzyme (containing reporter protein) is achieved upon applying an appropriate stimulus to the target cells. The activated enzyme is labelled with an activity-based probe carrying a fluorophore (acceptor). The covalent labelling of active enzyme by the activity-based probe creates a FRET pair which provides the opportunity to exquisitely image the function of an “active enzyme”. This method is used for specific imaging of the function of active caspase-3,-7,-8,-9 and cathepsin-B and also for profiling of inhibitors of caspases and cathepsin B.

The present application relates to a GD2-based chimeric antigen receptor comprising an antigen-binding domain, a transmembrane domain, a costimulatory signaling domain, a CD3ζ signaling domain, and a self-destructive domain in tandem arrangement; wherein the antigen-binding domain binds to a tumor surface antigen, wherein the tumor surface antigen is GD2, and the antigen-binding domain is a single-chain antibody against the tumor surface antigen GD2, wherein the self-destructive domain is a caspase 9 domain.

The present invention provides a chimeric protein having the formula: Casp-Ht1-Ht2 wherein Casp is a caspase domain; Ht1 is a first heterodimerization domain; and Ht2 is a second heterodimerization domain and wherein, in the presence of a chemical inducer of dimcrization (CID), an identical pair of the chimeric proteins interact such that Ht1 from one chimeric protein heterodimerizes with Ht2 from the other chimeric protein, causing homodimerization of the two caspase domains. The invention also provides a cell comprising such a protein and its use in adoptive cell therapy.

Some aspects of this disclosure provide strategies, systems, reagents, methods, and kits that are useful for the targeted editing of nucleic acids, including editing a single site within the genome of a cell or subject, e.g., within the human genome. In some embodiments, fusion proteins of Cas9 and nucleic acid editing enzymes or enzyme domains, e.g., deaminase domains, are provided. In some embodiments, methods for targeted nucleic acid editing are provided. In some embodiments, reagents and kits for the generation of targeted nucleic acid editing proteins, e.g., fusion proteins of Cas9 and nucleic acid editing enzymes or domains, are provided.