The present disclosure provides a genetically modified mouse comprising a genomic nucleic acid encoding human APOE4, a genomic nucleic acid encoding mouse TREM2 modified to include a R47H substitution, and at least one genomic modification selected from the group consisting of: (a) a genomic nucleic acid encoding mouse ABCA7 modified to include an A 1541 G substitution; (b) a genomic nucleic acid encoding mouse APP modified to include G60IR, F606Y, and R609H substitutions; (c) a genomic nucleic acid encoding mouse PLCG2 modified to include a M28L substitution; (d) a genomic nucleic acid encoding mouse MTHFR modified to include a A262V substitution; (e) an inactivated Ceacaml allele; and (f) an inactivated II1rap allele. Methods of producing the genetically modified mouse and methods of using the genetically modified mouse are also provided.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and compositions that facilitate cancer treatment including at least because they concern therapies that circumvent the tumor microenvironment. In specific embodiments, compositions are utilized for therapy that utilize tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and/or engineered T cells that are protected from immunosuppression from the tumor microenvironment because they are engineered to have reduced or eliminated expression of transforming growth factor-beta receptor 2 and/or I-cell-Ig-and-ITIM-domain and/or CD7 genes.

Described herein are compositions and techniques related to generation and therapeutic application of artificial synapses. Artificial synapses are engineered extracellular vesicles, including exosomes, which incorporate sticky binders on their surface to anchor signaling domains against biological targets, such as receptors. These engineered additives can be organized in genetic vector constructs, expressed in mammalian cells, wherein the sticky binders attach to extracellular vesicles such as exosomes, thereby presenting their joined signaling domains which are rapidly taken up by recipient cells. Artificial synapses adopt the hallmark biophysical and biochemical features of extracellular vesicles, allowing for rapid deployment and scale-up. Importantly, this strategy can allow for kinetically favorable signal generation and signal propagation. This includes, for example, increasing density of agonist presentation to support receptor clustering—an onerous barrier for traditional receptor targeting strategies.

The present disclosure relates to tunable biocircuit systems for the development of controlled and/or regulated therapeutic systems. In particular, regulatable biocircuits containing destabilizing domains (DD) derived from mutant human cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) are disclosed. Especially, the present disclosure provides an effector module. Such effector module may include (a) a stimulus response element (SRE), wherein the SRE is a DD, said DD comprising at least one mutation relative to cGMP-specific 3′,5′-cyclic phosphodiesterase (hPDE5; SEQ ID NO: 1) and (b) at least one payload, which is attached, appended or associated with said SRE. The SRE may be responsive to one or more stimuli.

Provided are a B-cell antibody receptor (BAR), a BAR-T cell and others which are effective for the treatment of diseases associated with antibodies produced in the bodies of patients. The B-cell antibody receptor (BAR) according to the present invention comprises (a) an antibody binding domain, (b) a transmembrane domain, (c) an intracellular domain of a costimulating factor and (d) an intracellular domain of an activated receptor which are linked together.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for using cells having chemically-induced fusion protein complexes to spatially and temporally control immune cell signal initiation and downstream responses for treating disease. As a preferred example, the present disclosure relates to fusion polypeptides comprising (a) a first polypeptide comprising a first secretion signal, a first multimerization domain, a first transmembrane domain, and an actuator domain, (b) a viral self-cleaving polypeptide, and (c) a second polypeptide comprising a second secretion signal, a binding domain that comprises a single chain antibody, a receptor ectodomain, or a ligand, a second multimerization domain, and a second transmembrane domain.

The present invention is directed to the field of immunotherapy. Specifically, the invention provides compositions and methods for improved T cell modulation ex vivo and in vivo and for the treatment of cancer and other pathologies. More specifically, embodiments of the invention are directed to the use of soluble NTB-A polypeptides or agonists thereof for the treatment of cancer patients, for preventing and treating cytopenia in susceptible patients, and for the ex vivo preparation of improved cell compositions.

Provided is an immunoconjugate useful in inhibiting tumor growth, and a composition and/or protein mixture comprising the immunoconjugate. Also provided are methods for the production of the immunoconjugate, as well as pharmaceutical uses of the immunoconjugate in inhibiting tumor growth, including but not limited to treatment of cancers.

Provided are engineered T-cell receptors comprising fusion proteins comprising a transmembrane domain and an intracellular domain capable of providing a stimulatory signal or an inhibitory signal, and immune cells comprising same.

Embodiments of the disclosure concern compositions and methods of use related to particular immortalized cells, including cardiac stem cells, obtained from a pediatric or neonatal individual. In specific embodiments, the immortalized cells, or conditioned medium from the cells, or partial or total secretomes thereof, are provided in an effective amount to an individual in need thereof either alone or in combination with cardiac stem cells.