The present invention provides isolated immune cells, immune cell populations and compositions, as well as markers, marker signatures and molecular targets characterising the immune cells. The cell products, substances, compositions, markers, marker signatures, molecular targets, kits of parts and methods of the present invention provide for new ways to characterise, evaluate and modulate the immune system and immune responses.

A monocytes derived signaling cells mixture is prepared by culturing buffy coats in a cell culture medium containing platelet-poor-plasma and collecting the cultured buffy coats and the cultured cell culture medium. The monocytes derived signaling cells mixture contains granulocytes, lymphocytes, fibrocytes and monocytes, in which the high ratio of the monocytes are CD16 positive monocytes. The monocytes derived signaling cells mixture is used in the improvement of liver function index of a subject.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for making and using engineered phagocytic cells that express a chimeric antigen receptor having an enhanced phagocytic activity for immunotherapy in cancer or infection.

Provided is a nucleic acid construct for expressing a gene of interest, the nucleic acid construct comprising, in order from 5′-terminus, each sequence of: (a) a 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) sequence derived from a retrovirus; (b) a packaging signal sequence (IV) derived from a retrovirus; (c) a sequence or multiple cloning site of the gene of interest; (d) a post-transcriptional regulatory sequence (PRE); (e) an siRNA generating sequence which forms at least one stem-loop structure and in which RNA, which induces RNA interference in mammalian cells, is transcribed; and (f) a 3′ LTR sequence derived form a retrovirus.

Modified macrophage immune cells are provided for treatment of cancer and other diseases. In particular said macrophages express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR). The single chain variable fragment (scFv) may be directed against thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) or hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). The signaling domain may be derived from a Toll-like receptor (TLR).

The invention relates to a method of producing an iPSC-derived Kupffer Cell (IKC). The method may comprise providing a macrophage precursor (preMcp) derived from an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC). The macrophage precursor (preM-cp) may be cultured in the presence of a hepatic cue, such as a combination of primary human hepatocyte conditioned media and Advanced DMEM, thereby obtaining the iPSC-derived Kupffer Cell. The iPSC-derived Kupffer Cell may display a biological property of a primary Kupffer cell, such as a primary adult human KC (pKC). The biological activity comprises expression of a macrophage marker such as CD11, CD14, CD68, CD163, CD32, CLEC-4F, ID1 and ID3.

A monocyte, monocyte derived cell or macrophage infected with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus is disclosed together with uses of such infected cells in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

The disclosure relates to an ex vivo generated population of educated macrophages specific to LPS and methods of making and using such macrophages.

The present invention relates to a monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to TIM-3 and uses thereof.

The monoclonal antibody, hTIM-3_NCC1, of the present invention specifically recognizes human and mouse cells expressing TIM-3, and it can be useful for various fields such as diagnosis of diseases mediated by TIM-3 expressing cells as well as prevention or treatment thereof.

A method for producing an engineered T cell population includes obtaining a cell population containing a monocyte and a T cell, resting the obtained cell population on a surface, adhering the monocyte to the surface, retaining a non-adherent cell population, activating the non-adherent cell population, introducing a nucleic acid into the activated non-adherent cell population to obtain a transformed T cell, and expanding the transformed T cell to obtain the engineered T cell population.