A multifunctional polypeptide chain or a protein. A polypeptide chain X, comprising an antigen 1 binding domain R1, an auxiliary peptide chain linking domain R2 and an antigen 2 binding domain R3. The auxiliary peptide chain linking domain R2 is a cytokine or a cytokine binding domain in a cytokine receptor. A protein, which is a heterodimer composed of the polypeptide chain X as a main peptide chain and an auxiliary peptide chain Y. The auxiliary peptide chain Y comprises an antigen 3 binding domain R4 and a main peptide chain X linking domain R5, or the auxiliary peptide chain Y is the main peptide chain linking domain R5. The multifunctional protein mediates specific cell killing by binding to different tumor antigens with the two antigen binding domains of tumor-associated antigens therein. The multifunctional protein can function as a cytokine by introducing a cytokine or a cytokine receptor complex.

The present invention provides a composition comprising i) a pseudotyped retroviral vector particle comprising a) one envelope protein with antigen-binding activity, wherein said envelope protein is a recombinant protein that does not interact with at least one of its original receptors and is fused at its ectodomain to a polypeptide comprising an antigen binding domain specific for CD62L, and wherein said envelope protein is protein G, HN or H derived from the Paramyxoviridae family, b) one envelope protein with fusion activity derived from the Paramyxoviridae family, and T cells expressing CD62L. Alternatively, when said polypeptide comprising an antigen binding domain is specific for a tag of a tagged polypeptide instead of the antigen binding domain specific for CD62L, wherein said tagged polypeptide binds specifically to CD62L, then the composition comprises further said tagged polypeptide.

Plasma levels of different sub-populations of microvesicles (endothelial, leukocyte, platelet and hepatocyte) were measured by flow cytometry or ELISA/filtration on blood samples from 125 patients with cirrhosis, for which 36 of them were diagnosed with HCC at inclusion. The inventors show that the levels of microvesicles of endothelial origin (CD62E+) could predict the occurrence of HCC in patients with cirrhosis. Therefore the present invention relates to a method for determining whether a patient suffering from cirrhosis is at risk of having or developing hepatocellular carcinoma comprising determining the level of endothelial-derived microvesicles (e.g. by flow cytometry) in a blood sample obtained from the patient.

Mitochondria modified by a targeting protein, according to one embodiment of the present invention, can be effectively delivered to a target. In addition, when a protein of interest bound to the modified mitochondria is delivered into a cell, various activities can be exhibited. The modified mitochondria can effectively cause cancer tissue death, and thus can also be used as an anticancer agent. Furthermore, various activities are exhibited according to a protein of interest loaded on modified mitochondria, and thus the modified mitochondria can be applied in the treatment of various diseases. Additionally, a fusion protein comprising a protein of interest and a fusion protein comprising a targeting protein, according to one embodiment of the present invention, can be used in order to modify mitochondria. Moreover, mitochondria modified with the fusion proteins exhibits various effects in a target cell.

The invention provides antibodies, and antigen-binding fragments thereof, that specifically bind to E-selectin. The invention includes uses, and associated methods of using the antibodies, and antigen-binding fragments thereof.

The present disclosure provides, inter alia, anti-peripheral lymph node addressin antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof. The present disclosure also provides compositions comprising drug-containing polymeric particles that mimic lymphocyte migration in vivo and can specifically deliver immunosuppressive or immunoregulatory drugs to lymphoid tissues and sites of chronic inflammation where T-cell activation and T-cell mediated injury are occurring; such compositions comprise the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described in the disclosure. The present disclosure also comprises antibody-drug conjugates and compositions comprising the antibody-drug conjugates. Methods of preparing and using these antibodies, antigen-binding fragments thereof, and compositions thereof are also provided.

The present invention relates to the seminal discovery that P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) modulates the immune system and immune responses. Specifically, the present invention provides PSGL-1 agonists and antagonists which increase the survival of multifunctional T cells and viral clearance. The present invention further provides methods of treating infectious diseases, cancer and immune and inflammatory diseases and disorders using a PSGL-1 modulator.

The invention provides anti-variant Fc-region antibodies which specifically bind to an antibody that has the mutation P329G or the mutations P329G/L234A/L235A or the mutations 1253A/H310A/H435A in the Fc-region, and methods of using the same.

The present disclosure provides, inter alia, anti-peripheral lymph node addressin antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof. The present disclosure also provides compositions comprising drug-containing polymeric particles that mimic lymphocyte migration in vivo and can specifically deliver immunosuppressive or immunoregulatory drugs to lymphoid tissues and sites of chronic inflammation where T-cell activation and T-cell mediated injury are occurring; such compositions comprise the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof described in the disclosure. The present disclosure also comprises antibody-drug conjugates and compositions comprising the antibody-drug conjugates. Methods of preparing and using these antibodies, antigen-binding fragments thereof, and compositions thereof are also provided.

Herein is reported an expression vector comprising an antibody light chain expression cassette, an antibody heavy chain expression cassette, and a selection marker expression cassette, wherein the expression cassettes are arranged unidirectional, and wherein the expression cassettes are arranged in the 5 to 3 sequence of antibody heavy chain expression cassette, antibody light chain expression cassette and selection marker expression cassette. Further are reported herein methods for the generation of antibody producing cells and the use of these cells for the recombinant production of antibodies.