This invention relates to methods for the expansion of T-lymphocytes with a memory-like phenotype in which the intracellular concentration of a memory induction compound, such as 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), is increased in order to facilitate the maintenance of a memory-like phenotype. This may be useful for example, in cellular immunotherapy. The memory induction compound may the formula (I) wherein: p is 0 or 1, and when p is 0, Y is CH.sub.2 or C?, and when p is 1, Y is selected from CH, CH.sub.2, NH, S, and -0-; R.sup.1 is H, (CH.sub.2).sub.nCH.sub.3, (CH.sub.2).sub.nCH.sub.2CO.sub.2H, CH.sub.2Ph or CH.sub.2PhOCH.sub.2Ph; and when Y is CH, CH.sub.2, NH, S, or O, X is a single bonded group selected from H, OH, NH.sub.2, SH, (CH.sub.2).sub.nCH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.nCH.sub.2CO.sub.2H, F, Cl, Br, and I, or a double bonded group selected from ?O and ?S; and when Y is a double bonded C?, X is H; and each n is independently 0 to 12.

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The invention provides HPV agonist epitopes, which can be used as a peptide, polypeptide (protein), and/or in a vaccine or other composition for the prevention or therapy of HPV infection and/or cancer. The invention further provides a nucleic acid encoding the peptide or polypeptide (protein), a vector comprising the nucleic acid, a cell comprising the peptide, polypeptide (protein), nucleic acid, or vector, and compositions thereof.

The invention involves the discovery that if dendritic cells loaded with a tumor antigen are cultured in interleukin-15 (IL-15), or if T cells activated by the dendritic cells are cultured in IL-15, Treg activity that is specific for the tumor antigen is reduced. This reduction in Treg activity results in an increase in anti-tumor immune response. Another embodiment of the invention involves the discovery that incubating dendritic cells with a MAP kinase inhibitor in combination with IL-15 gives synergistic benefits when the dendritic cells are used to activate T cells. Dendritic cell and T cell compositions incubated with IL-15 or a MAP kinase inhibitor are provided.

The field of the present invention relates to immunotherapeutic peptides, peptide binding agents, and their use, for example, in the immunotherapy of cancer.

Provided are a polypeptide and nucleic acid for encoding the polypeptide, a nucleic-acid construct, an expression vector, and a host cell containing the nucleic acid, an antigen-presenting cell presenting the polypeptide on the surface of the cell, and immune effector cell thereof, a pharmaceutical composition containing the polypeptide, a vaccine containing the nucleic acid, the nucleic acid construct, the expression vector, the host cell, the antigen-presenting cell, and the immune effector cell, and an antibody recognizing the polypeptide. Also provided is a therapeutic method using the polypeptide, the nucleic acid, the pharmaceutical composition, the vaccine, and the antibody. Also provided are a diagnosis method and diagnosis apparatus for detecting the described polypeptide. Also provided is an application of the polypeptide in preparing a vaccine, a tumor diagnosis kit, or a pharmaceutical composition, and an application of the polypeptide or the nucleic acid as a test target in tumor diagnosis.

Described herein are compositions and methods for treating a disease, particularly a cancer, with an immune checkpoint modulatory agent and a strain of an Arbovirus or a strain of an Alphavirus. Also provided herein are also methods for combination therapy comprising administration of an immune checkpoint modulatory agent, tumor antigen primed dendritic cells and an Alphavirus or an Arbovirus.

Embodiments of various aspects described herein are directed to methods and compositions for producing a tolerognic or immunosuppressive dendritic cell. In particular, an immunosuppressive dendritic cell can be produced by contacting a dendritic cell with an agent that stimulates the IL 27/ectonucleotidase CD39 axis signaling. In some embodiments, the methods and/or compositions described herein can be used for treating an autoimmune disease or disorder, e.g., but not limited to multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes.

The present disclosure relates to compositions for reprogramming cells into conventional dendritic cells (cDC), particularly into cDC type 2 (hereinafter referred to ascDC2 orCD11b-positive dendritic cells), methods and uses thereof. The present disclosure relates to the development of methods for making conventional dendritic cells With antigen presenting capacity from differentiated, multipotent or pluripotent stem cells by introducing and expressing isolated/synthetic transcription factors. More particularly, the disclosure provides methods for obtaining conventional dendritic cells (cDC), particularly cDC type 2 or CD11b-positive dendritic cells, by direct cell reprogramming With the surprisingly use of combinations of specific transcription factors.

The present disclosure relates to artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs), in particular engineered erythroid cells and enucleated cells (e.g. enucleated erythroid cells and platelets), that are engineered to activate or suppress T cells.

Compositions of multipeptide vaccines comprising at least seven tumor associated antigens, compositions of antigen presenting cell (e.g., dendritic cell) based vaccines presenting epitopes from at least seven tumor associated antigens, and methods of making same, are provided herein. Also, disclosed are methods for treating gynecological and peritoneal cancers using such vaccines.