The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods and compositions for treating cancer (e.g., melanoma). It relates to chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that specifically target MDA (e.g., Trp1), and immunoresponsive cells comprising such CARs. The presently disclosed MDA-specific CARs have enhanced immune-activating properties, including anti-tumor activity.

The present invention provides an immune effector cell that comprises a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific for a tag of a tagged polypeptide, wherein said polypeptide binds to an antigen of a target cell, and a chimeric costimulatory receptor (CCR) specific for a further antigen. The CCR is not able to mediate said immune response on its own but boosts the immune response of said immune effector cell triggered by the CAR.

The present disclosure provides methods of producing hybrid Th1/Th17 cells. Also provided herein are methods of treating cancer comprising targeting the CD38-mediated metabolic axis.

The present disclosure provides methods for expanding tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), such as tumor-infiltrating T cells, utilizing an agonist of PGC1? in vivo, ex vivo, or both. Exhausted T cells present in the TIL population fail to effectively proliferate, produce cytokines, or kill target cells. The present disclosure provides methods to correct these defects through the use of pharmacologic agents to reprogram the metabolism of the exhausted intratumoral T cells. Exemplary agonists of PGC1? include proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonists (e.g., a thiazolidinedione (TZD), aleglitazar, farglitazar, muraglitazar, or tesaglitazar), AMPK activators (e.g., 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide, AICAR), and sirtuin activators (e.g., resveratrol, SRT1720, SRT2104, SRT2183, SRT1460). Also provided are kits can compositions that can be used with such methods.

The present disclosure relates to erythroid cells that have been engineered to include, e.g., at the surface of the cell, one or more exogenous stimulatory polypeptides, wherein the exogenous stimulatory polypeptides presented are sufficient to stimulate an immune killer cell. The engineered enucleated cells of the present disclosure are useful in methods of activating NK cells and/or CD8+T-cells in a subject in need thereof, such as subjects having cancer or an infectious disease, and in particular cancers or infectious diseases characterized by downregulation of MHC Class I presentation.

The present disclosure provides methods of producing hybrid Th1/Th17 cells. Also provided herein are methods of treating cancer comprising targeting the CD38-mediated metabolic axis.

A vector containing a first nucleotide sequence S1 encoding a protein Z1, a second nucleotide sequence S2 encoding a protein Z2, a third nucleotide sequence S3 encoding a protein Y1, and a fourth nucleotide sequence S4 encoding a protein Y2, in which Z1 and Z2 form a first dimer and Y1 and Y2 form a second dimer, in which the first dimer Z1Z2 is different from the second dimer Y1Y2.

The present disclosure provides methods for re-stimulating TIL populations that lead to improved phenotype and increased metabolic health of the TILs and provides methods of assaying for TIL populations to determine suitability for more efficacious infusion after re-stimulation.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Also disclosed are compositions and method for identifying an agent for ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in ACT. Also disclosed are methods for treating cancer using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expanded by the disclosed methods.

The present disclosure provides methods for selecting donors for ??T cell-based immunotherapy. The disclosure also provides methods for expanding and activating ?? T cells with improved cytotoxicity toward tumor cells and reduced T cell exhaustion. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the expanded ?? T cells and methods of treatment are also provided.