The invention relates to recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) virions for gene therapy, wherein the rAAV virions comprise a novel capsid protein. In particular, the invention relates to the use of such virions in gene therapy for the treatment of an arthritic disease, such as for example rheumatoid arthritis, or symptoms thereof, preferably by intraarticular administration.

This disclosure is directed to immune treatment of a disease (e.g., an infectious disease) using a fusion protein in combination with an anti-chemorepellant agent. In particular, the fusion protein comprises an antigen-binding domain (e.g., an antibody or antibody fragment) and a stress protein domain.

The present application relates to an inhibitor of fusion between a viral membrane from an enveloped virus and a cell membrane, where the viral membrane comprises a fusion mediating protein including a C-terminal peptide. The inhibitor comprises the C-terminal peptide of the fusion mediating protein from an enveloped virus and tocopherol or a derivative or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof attached to the C-terminal peptide. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition including the inhibitor as well as methods of inhibiting viral fusion, blocking viral spread, and preventing or treating viral infection, with the inhibitor or pharmaceutical composition.

The present invention provides novel scaffolded HIV-1 vaccine immunogens. Some of the scaffolded immunogens contain a soluble gp140 trimer linked to the N-terminus of the nanoparticle subunit and a T-helper epitope that is fused via a short peptide spacer to the C-terminus of the nanoparticle subunit. Some other immunogens of the invention contain a soluble gp140 trimer protein that is linked to a stable nanoparticle via a short peptide spacer that is a T-helper epitope. Some of the scaffolded immunogens contain a gp140 trimer immunogen presented on a nanoparticle platform formed with I3-01 protein, E2p, or variants of protein 1VLW. Also provided in the invention are nucleic acids that encode the various vaccine immunogens described herein, and expression vectors and host cells harboring the nucleic acids. The invention further provides methods of using the scaffolded HIV-1 vaccine immunogens for preventing or treating HIV infections.

Certain embodiments of the invention include methods and compositions for evaluating flaviviruses, such as Zika virus, for the purpose of identifying, typing, and/or categorizing/speciation of virus in samples using nucleic acid sequencing.

Certain embodiments of the invention include methods and compositions for evaluating flaviviruses, such as Zika virus, for the purpose of identifying, typing, and/or categorizing/speciation of virus in samples using nucleic acid sequencing.

Methods of using fibrillar proteins are provided for suppressing cancer metastasis. Cancer metastasis is the most common cause of treatment failure and death in cancer patients. Tumor cell invasion and/or migration can be significantly inhibited after fibrillar proteins (rVP1, F-HSA, and F-BSA) treatment in vitro. In addition, rVP1 can significantly suppress murine and human breast cancer metastasis and human prostate and ovarian cancer metastasis in vivo while F-HSA can significantly suppress murine breast cancer metastasis.

Disclosed are LIMP-2 peptides, LIMP-2 polypeptides, variants thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the LIMP-2 peptides, LIMP-2 polypeptides, or variants thereof. The disclosed peptides and polypeptides preferably comprise an amino acid sequence that is sufficient for providing a biological activity associated with LIMP-2, which may include binding and/or activating biological molecules such as β-glucocerebrosidase and binding viral protein 1 (VP1) of enterovirus 71 (E71) or coxsackievirus A16 (CA16). Also disclosed are methods of using the LIMP-2 peptides, LIMP-2 polypeptides, and variants thereof as therapeutics for treating diseases and disorders associated with β-glucocerebrosidase activity in subjects in need thereof.

The invention provides a composition comprising an inhibitor of Na+-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) and a active ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nucleoside analogue such as lamivudine, telbivudine, or entecavir, a nucleotide analogue such as tenofovir, adefovir and an immunomodulator such as interferon alpha. The NTCP inhibitor inhibits HBV/HDV entry into a cell and is preferably derived from an HBV pre-S1 peptide. Also provided are methods of treating HBV and HDV infection, hepatitis B and D, or chronic hepatitis B and D.

The invention provides a composition comprising an inhibitor of Na+-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) and a active ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nucleoside analogue such as lamivudine, telbivudine, or entecavir, a nucleotide analogue such as tenofovir, adefovir and an immunomodulator such as interferon alpha. The NTCP inhibitor inhibits HBV/HDV entry into a cell and is preferably derived from an HBV pre-S1 peptide. Also provided are methods of treating HBV and HDV infection, hepatitis B and D, or chronic hepatitis B and D.