Chimeric antigen receptors containing CD123 antigen binding domains are disclosed. Nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, antigen binding fragments, and pharmaceutical compositions, relating to the chimeric antigen receptors are also disclosed. Methods of treating or preventing cancer in a subject, and methods of making chimeric antigen receptor T cells are also disclosed.

Provided by the present invention is a chimeric antigen receptor comprising a co-stimulatory receptor, the chimeric antigen receptor having a structure of scFv(X)-(Y)CD3zeta-2A-(Z); X comprises a tumortargeting antibody or a ligand or receptor capable of specifically binding to a tumor; Y is an intracellular region of the co-stimulatory receptor, and Z is a co-stimulatory receptor that is selected from among ICOS, CD28, CD27, HVEM, LIGHT, CD40L, 4-1BB, OX40, DR3, GITR, CD30, TIMI, SLAM, CD2, CD226. Further provided by the present invention are CAR-T cells that are constructed by means of a recombinant expression vector of the described chimeric antigen receptor, a preparation method therefor and an application thereof. The CAR-T cells described in the present invention significantly improve the tumor-killing abilities and amplification abilities thereof.

The present invention relates to a method for transducing a target cell, the method comprising the step of contacting a target cell with a retroviral vector and a poloxamer having a molecular weight of 12.8 kDa to about 15 kDa. Further, the invention relates to the use of a poloxamer as defined herein, optionally in combination with a polycationic substance as defined herein, for transducing a target cell with a retroviral vector and a kit comprising a retroviral vector, a poloxamer as defined herein and, optionally, instructions for use.

Described herein are methods and related compositions for inducing differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into hemogenic endothelium with pan-myeloid potential or restricted potential, by forced expression in the hPSCs of a combination of transcription factors as described herein.

The present disclosure relates generally to recombinant cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocyte cell lines overexpressing hERG and uses thereof.

An invention provides a chimeric antigen receptor. The chimeric antigen receptor includes an extracellular domain including a heavy chain variable region, a light chain variable region of a single chain antibody fragment and CD8 hinge region; a transmembrane domain including an immune co-stimulator transmembrane domain; and an intracellular domain including an immune co-stimulator intracellular segment and CD3ζ chain. According to the embodiments of the invention, the chimeric antigen receptor can specifically recognize the tumor cells expressing the specific antigen and achieve the specific killing effect against the tumor cells expressing the high specific antigen.

The present invention provides modified stem cells (SCs) and use of the SCs to treat disease.

Disclosed are compositions and methods of treating a neurodegenerative disease in an individual. The methods disclose administration of an Integrin α4β1, Very Late Antigen-4 positive neural precursor cell (“VLA4+NPC”) transfected with a lentivirus overexpressing wild type GCase to an individual having a neurodegenerative disorder. The neurodegenerative disease may include lipid storage diseases, for example Gaucher disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies.

A method for producing genetically engineered immune cells, e.g. T cells, or iPSCs which uses an RNA-scaffold mediated base editing system. The method enables precise modifications to be made to the genome whilst minimizing the possibility of off-target effects, making the method particularly suitable for therapeutic applications.

In alternative embodiments, provided are compositions, including recombinant expression systems and vectors, products of manufacture and kits, and methods, for remotely-controlled and non-invasive manipulation of intracellular nucleic acid expression, genetic processes, function and activity in live cells such as T cells in vivo, for example, activating, adding functions or changing or adding specificities for immune cells, for monitoring physiologic processes, for the correction of pathological processes and for the control of therapeutic outcomes. In alternative embodiments, provided are blue-light-mediated light-inducible nuclear translocation and dimerization (LINTAD) systems for gene regulation to control cell activation based on the integration of light-sensitive LOV2-based nuclear localization, light-induced active transportation via the biLINuS motif, and CRY2-CIB1 dimerization that feature high spatiotemporal control to control or alter cell activities in vivo, for example, to limit CAR T cell activity to the tumor site for immunotherapy applications.