Provided herein are modified caspase-9 polypeptides, and chimeric caspase-9 proteins containing the modified caspase-9 polypeptides. The disclosure further provides polynucleotides encoding these proteins, engineered host cells containing these polynucleotides and proteins, including host cells that co-express a chimeric antigen receptor, and methods of making and using the same.

Provided herein are modified caspase-9 polypeptides, and chimeric caspase-9 proteins containing the modified caspase-9 polypeptides. The disclosure further provides polynucleotides encoding these proteins, engineered host cells containing these polynucleotides and proteins, including host cells that co-express a chimeric antigen receptor, and methods of making and using the same.

Drug compositions of angiogenesis therapy contain gene coding for human prostacyclin synthase (hPGIS) synthesizing prostaglandin I.sub.2 with activities of vasodialation and/or anti-platelet aggregation; drug compositions contain adeno-associated virus (AAV) inserted with gene for angiogenesis factors. The administration of the drug compositions into the aimed treatment region results in transfer of AAV type 1-hPGIS to skeletal muscles and induces a notable expression of human PGIS gene in skeletal muscles. The PGI.sub.2 is produced by mediation of the gene expression in the muscle cells, secreted, induces vessel-protective, neovascularization and anti-platelet aggregation actions, which lead to an improvement in vascular ischemia.

Drug compositions of angiogenesis therapy contain gene coding for human prostacyclin synthase (hPGIS) synthesizing prostaglandin I.sub.2 with activities of vasodialation and/or anti-platelet aggregation; drug compositions contain adeno-associated virus (AAV) inserted with gene for angiogenesis factors. The administration of the drug compositions into the aimed treatment region results in transfer of AAV type 1-hPGIS to skeletal muscles and induces a notable expression of human PGIS gene in skeletal muscles. The PGI.sub.2 is produced by mediation of the gene expression in the muscle cells, secreted, induces vessel-protective, neovascularization and anti-platelet aggregation actions, which lead to an improvement in vascular ischemia.

Drug compositions of angiogenesis therapy contain gene coding for human prostacyclin synthase (hPGIS) synthesizing prostaglandin I.sub.2 with activities of vasodialation and/or anti-platelet aggregation; drug compositions contain adeno-associated virus (AAV) inserted with gene for angiogenesis factors. The administration of the drug compositions into the aimed treatment region results in transfer of AAV type 1-hPGIS to skeletal muscles and induces a notable expression of human PGIS gene in skeletal muscles. The PGI.sub.2 is produced by mediation of the gene expression in the muscle cells, secreted, induces vessel-protective, neovascularization and anti-platelet aggregation actions, which lead to an improvement in vascular ischemia.

Provided nucleic acid-based expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, within a target cell, including a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell. Also provided are formulations and systems, including fusogenic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations and systems, for the delivery of nucleic acid-based expression constructs as well as methods for making and using such nucleic acid-based expression constructs, formulations, and systems for reducing, preventing, and/or eliminating the growth and/or survival of a cell, such as a senescent cell and/or a cancer cell, which is associated with aging, disease, or other condition as well as methods for the treatment of aging, disease, or other conditions by the in vivo administration of a formulation, such as a fusogenic LPN formulation, comprising an expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, in a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell.

Provided nucleic acid-based expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, within a target cell, including a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell. Also provided are formulations and systems, including fusogenic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations and systems, for the delivery of nucleic acid-based expression constructs as well as methods for making and using such nucleic acid-based expression constructs, formulations, and systems for reducing, preventing, and/or eliminating the growth and/or survival of a cell, such as a senescent cell and/or a cancer cell, which is associated with aging, disease, or other condition as well as methods for the treatment of aging, disease, or other conditions by the in vivo administration of a formulation, such as a fusogenic LPN formulation, comprising an expression construct for the target cell-specific production of a therapeutic protein, such as a pro-apoptotic protein, in a target cell that is associated with aging, disease, or other condition, in particular a target cell that is a senescent cell or a cancer cell.

Disclosed herein are methods of expressing UDP-GlcNAc 2-Epimerase/ManNAc Kinase enzyme (GNE) peptide in a cell of a subject comprising: delivering into the cell of the subject an isolated nucleic acid expression construct that comprises a promoter operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof, wherein the GNE peptide has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, wherein upon the delivering into the cell of the subject, the nucleic acid expression construct initiates expression of the GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof. Also disclosed are methods of producing a GNE peptide in a cell comprising infecting the cell with an isolated nucleic acid construct that comprises a promoter operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof, wherein the GNE peptide has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.

Disclosed herein are methods of expressing UDP-GlcNAc 2-Epimerase/ManNAc Kinase enzyme (GNE) peptide in a cell of a subject comprising: delivering into the cell of the subject an isolated nucleic acid expression construct that comprises a promoter operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof, wherein the GNE peptide has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, wherein upon the delivering into the cell of the subject, the nucleic acid expression construct initiates expression of the GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof. Also disclosed are methods of producing a GNE peptide in a cell comprising infecting the cell with an isolated nucleic acid construct that comprises a promoter operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a GNE peptide or a therapeutically active fragment thereof, wherein the GNE peptide has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.

There is provided a method for treating or reducing the effects of fructose intolerance and health problems associated with excessive fructose intake by administration of glucose isomerase. Other embodiments are also disclosed.