The present invention relates to a recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae comprising an expressible polynucleotide encoding at least one of (i) a tumor antigen, (ii) a fragment of a tumor antigen, and (iii) a variant of (i) or (ii). The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and to a host cell comprising said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and/or said polynucleotide encoding said recombinant virus of the family Paramyxoviridae. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for activating immune cells with antitumor activity in a sample comprising cancer cells and to further means, methods, and uses related to the present invention.

The invention relates to the finding that virus like particles (VLPs) can be loaded with immunostimulatory substances, in particular with DNA oligonucleotides containing non-methylated C and G (CpGs). Such CpG-VLPs are dramatically more immunogenic than their CpG-free counterparts and induce enhanced B and T cell responses. The immune response against antigens optionally coupled, fused or attached otherwise to the VLPs is similarly enhanced as the immune response against the VLP itself. In addition, the T cell responses against both the VLPs and antigens are especially directed to the Th1 type. Antigens attached to CpG-loaded VLPs may therefore be ideal vaccines for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination against allergies, tumors and other self-molecules and chronic viral diseases.

The invention relates to a composition which induces, in a host, a cytotoxic cell response directed against cells expressing an antigen, in particular tumor cells, and which comprises red blood cells containing said antigen. These red blood cells may be in the form of an immune complex with an immunoglobulin, in particular IgG, which recognizes an epitope at the surface of the red blood cells, and/or be heat-treated or chemically treated so as to promote phagocytosis of said red blood cells by dendritic cells. As a variant, the red blood cells may be xenogenic red blood cells. The invention also relates to a therapeutic especially anti-tumor vaccine containing such a composition.

A composition comprising mesoporous silica rods comprising an immune cell recruitment compound and an immune cell activation compound, and optionally comprising an antigen such as a tumor lysate. The composition is used to elicit an immune response to a vaccine antigen.

Disclosed herein are cells that are immune cells or precursor cells thereof, which cells recombinantly express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), and a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a cell-mediated immune response of the immune cell, wherein the CAR binds to a cancer antigen. Also disclosed herein are T cells that recognize and are sensitized to a cancer antigen, which T cells recombinantly express a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a T cell-mediated immune response. Additionally provided are methods of using such cells to treat cancer in a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to nanoparticles complexed with biomacromolecule agents configured for treating, preventing or ameliorating various types of disorders, and methods of synthesizing the same. In particular, the present invention is directed to compositions comprising nanoparticles (e.g., synthetic high density lipoprotein (sHDL)) carrying biomacromolecule agents (e.g., nucleic acid, peptides, glycolipids, etc.), methods for synthesizing such nanoparticles, as well as systems and methods utilizing such nanoparticles (e.g., in diagnostic and/or therapeutic settings).

A vaccination method is provided. The method comprises administering to a mammal a histone deacytelase inhibitor in conjunction with a vaccine that expresses an antigen to which the mammal has a pre-existing immunity.

Materials and methods useful for generating highly mannosylated pseudotyped lentiviral vector particles comprising a Vpx protein are provided.

The invention provides CD27 agonists comprising a first component that is an anti-CD27 antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, linked to a second component comprising one or more cross-linking moieties. At least one of the cross-linking moieties does not bind to an Fc receptor and the CD27 agonist stimulates T cell activity without the need for Fc receptor interaction. The cross-linking molecule(s) can be, for example, an anti-CD27, antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that can be the same or different than the first component. Alternatively, the cross-linking molecule(s) can be a CD27 ligand or a molecule (e.g., antibody) that binds a molecule on a cell such as a T cell, a tumor cell or a stromal cell. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the CD27 agonists, and methods of using the CD27 agonists, are also provided.

The invention relates to the finding that stimulation of antigen presenting cell (APC) activation using substances such as anti-CD40 antibodies or DNA oligomers rich in non-methylated C and G (CpGs) can dramatically enhance the specific T cell response obtained after vaccination with recombinant virus like particles (VLPs) coupled, fused or otherwise attached to antigens. While vaccination with recombinant VLPs fused to a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) epitope of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus induced low levels cytolytic activity only and did not induce efficient anti-viral protection, VLPs injected together with anti-CD40 antibodies or CpGs induced strong CTL activity and full anti-viral protection. Thus, stimulation of APC-activation through antigen presenting cell activators such as anti-CD40 antibodies or CpGs can exhibit a potent adjuvant effect for vaccination with VLPs coupled, fused or attached otherwise to antigens.