The disclosure provides methods to chemically and photochemically initiate cell membrane blebbing to induce cell vesicle production, modifications thereof, and uses thereof, including for drug delivery, gene therapy, cell-free cell therapy, and molecular therapy.

A new approach to targeting imaging agents to macrophage-rich sites of interest is disclosed. Compositions of the invention are rHDL and HDL-like liposomal compositions, protein constituents of which, apolipoproteins A-I and/or A-II or fragments thereof are used not only as structural but also as targeting agents. This is achieved by certain controlled chemical or enzymatic modification of apolipoproteins A-I or A-II or fragments thereof. Such modification converts these apolipoproteins to substrates for macrophage scavenger receptors and results in the improvement of contrast agent-(HDL/modified apolipoprotein)-particle association with macrophages and/or absorption (uptake) by macrophages when compared to that of the contrast agent-(HDL/apolipoprotein)-particle constructed with non-modified naturally occurring apo A-I. The compositions can be used for noninvasive specific in vivo molecular detection and localization of macrophage-rich sites of interest using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), gamma-scintigraphy, positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Provided are liposome constructs for delivery of urea to the vitreoretinal interface of the eye. The liposome constructs are agglomerates of small lamellar vesicles (SUVs) and have a greater density than the vitreal fluid, such that they sink to the back of the eye rather than dispersing throughout the vitreous.

A new approach to targeting imaging agents to macrophage-rich sites of interest is disclosed. Compositions of the invention are rHDL and HDL-like liposomal compositions, protein constituents of which, apolipoproteins A-I and/or A-II or fragments thereof are used not only as structural but also as targeting agents. This is achieved by certain controlled chemical or enzymatic modification of apolipoproteins A-I or A-II or fragments thereof. Such modification converts these apolipoproteins to substrates for macrophage scavenger receptors and results in the improvement of contrast agent-(HDL/modified apolipoprotein)-particle association with macrophages and/or absorption (uptake) by macrophages when compared to that of the contrast agent-(HDL/apolipoprotein)-particle constructed with non-modified naturally occurring apo A-I. The compositions can be used for noninvasive specific in vivo molecular detection and localization of macrophage-rich sites of interest using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), gamma-scintigraphy, positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The invention relates to therapeutic nanobiologic compositions and methods of treating patients who have had an organ transplant, or who suffer from atherosclerosis, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's, autoimmune diseases including diabetes, and/or autoinflammatory conditions, or after a cardiovascular events, including stroke and myocardial infarction, by inhibiting trained immunity, which is the long-term increased responsiveness, the result of metabolic and epigenetic re-wiring of myeloid cells and their stem cells and progenitors in the bone marrow and spleen and blood induced by a primary insult, and characterized by increased cytokine excretion after re-stimulation with one or multiple secondary stimuli.

The invention relates to therapeutic nanobiologic compositions and methods of treating patients who have had an organ transplant, or who suffer from atherosclerosis, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's, autoimmune diseases including diabetes, and/or autoinflammatory conditions, or after a cardiovascular events, including stroke and myocardial infarction, by inhibiting trained immunity, which is the long-term increased responsiveness, the result of metabolic and epigenetic re-wiring of myeloid cells and their stem cells and progenitors in the bone marrow and spleen and blood induced by a primary insult, and characterized by increased cytokine excretion after re-stimulation with one or multiple secondary stimuli.

The present invention relates to methods of preparing a therapeutic exosome using a protein newly-identified to be enriched on the surface of exosomes. Specifically, the present invention provides methods of using the proteins for affinity purification of exosomes. It also provides methods of localizing a therapeutic peptide on exosomes, and targeting exosomes to a specific organ, tissue or cell by using the proteins. The methods involve generation of surface-engineered exosomes that include one or more of the exosome proteins at higher density, or a variant or a fragment of the exosome protein.

The present invention relates to a method for the mass-production of exosome comprising a cargo protein, a vector for preparing the exosome, exosome including a cargo protein prepared by the method, and a method for loading the cargo protein to cytosol by using the exosome prepared thereby. According to the method for preparing an exosome comprising a cargo protein provided by the present invention, the exosome loaded with a cargo protein can be produced with a high yield, so that it can be used broadly in the treatment of disease using the exosome.

Nano structures having a core and a shell such as a lipid layer and optionally a lipoprotein which are useful for delivering nitric oxide are provided herein. Methods of treating disease using the nanostructures are also provided, including methods of treating vascular diseases, angiogenesis, ischemia-reperfusion, etc.

The present invention relates to methods of preparing a therapeutic exosome using a protein newly-identified to be enriched on the surface of exosomes. Specifically, the present invention provides methods of using the proteins for affinity purification of exosomes. It also provides methods of localizing a therapeutic peptide on exosomes, and targeting exosomes to a specific organ, tissue or cell by using the proteins. The methods involve generation of surface-engineered exosomes that include one or more of the exosome proteins at higher density, or a variant or a fragment of the exosome protein.