Provided herein are peptides selective for combinations of Mcl-1/Bfl-1/Bcl-xL. Also provided are compositions containing these polypeptides and methods of using such peptides in the treatment of cancer that include administering to a subject one of the polypeptides.

Disclosed are peptides comprising a p53 peptide and a BH3-only protein. In some aspects, wherein the BH3-only protein is BAD, BID, BIM, NOXA. Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences comprising a sequence capable of encoding a p53 peptide operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence capable of encoding a BH3-only protein. Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences comprising a sequence capable of encoding one or more of the peptides disclosed herein. Disclosed are vectors comprising a nucleic acid sequence, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is capable of encoding one or more of the peptides disclosed herein. Also disclosed are methods of using the disclosed peptides, nucleic acid sequences, and vectors.

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.

Provided is a pharmaceutical composition, including an antigen fusion protein which includes an antigen and an antagonist of an Fc gamma receptor. Also provided is a method of enhancing immunogenicity of an antigen, including conjugating the antigen with an antagonist of an Fc gamma receptor to form an antigen fusion protein. Also provided is a method of enhancing an immune response to an antigen in a subject, including administering to the subject an effective amount of an antigen fusion protein which includes an antigen and an antagonist of an Fc gamma receptor. The present invention may be applied in the development of potent vaccines based on targeting vaccine antigens to antigen-presenting cells via binding to Fc gamma receptors.

In some aspects, a method of regulating oxidoreductase activity for treating an inflammation or age-related disorder involves administering to an individual isomyosmine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In other aspects, a method of treating oxidative stress associated with an inflammation or age-related disorder involves administering to an individual a therapeutically effective amount of isomyosmine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In other aspects, isomyosmine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof may be administered to an individual for the treatment of infectious or parasitic diseases or various other disorders.

Described herein are methods and compositions related to modular engineered receptor polypeptide constructs and their use in modulating the activity of a cell.

The present invention provides vectors for delivery of an anti-apoptotic therapy. The vectors include a phosphoglycerate kinase (Pgk) promoter operably connected to a polynucleotide encoding an anti-apoptotic BCL2 protein (e.g., BCLX.sub.L). The vectors may be used in methods of treating conditions associated with apoptosis, including glaucoma.

The present disclosure relates to eukaryotic cell lines with a stable integrated loss-of-function or attenuation-of-function mutation in each of the Bax and Bak genes. Also provided are methods of producing such cell lines. This disclosure also relates to compositions and cell cultures comprising such cell lines, as well as methods of producing a product, such as a recombinant polypeptide or viral vector, using said cells, compositions and cell cultures.

The present disclosure relates to a class of engineered polypeptides having a binding affinity for programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and provides a PD-L1 binding polypeptide comprising the sequence ERNX.sub.4AAX.sub.7EIL X.sub.11LPNLX.sub.16X.sub.17X.sub.18QX.sub.20 WAFIWX.sub.26LX.sub.28D. The present disclosure also relates to the use of such a PD-L1 binding polypeptide as a therapeutic, prognostic and/or diagnostic agent.

Provided herein are cell lines (e.g., HEK293 cell lines) that comprise a loss-of-function mutation in each of the human Bax and Bak genes, as well as cell cultures comprising the cell lines. The cell lines and/or cell cultures may find use, e.g., in methods for producing a recombinant polypeptide (such as an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof) or a viral vector.