Provided herein are T-cell receptor (TCR) fusion proteins (TFPs), T-cells engineered to express one or more TFPs, and methods of use thereof for the treatment of diseases, including cancer.

This invention provides the field of therapeutics. Most specifically present invention provides methods of generating in vitro engineered dendritic cells conditionally expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) under the control of a gene expression modulation system in the presence of activating ligand and uses for therapeutic purposes in animals including human.

The present invention relates to expression of RORt in cells and tissues and the effect of expression of this gene on proliferation of specific immune cells and in promotion of immune cell aggregates and in induction of IL17 producing cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods and agents that may decrease function of the gene product (the protein) or expression of this gene in individuals experiencing an inflammatory condition, an autoimmune disease or a food allergy, or any other condition whereby it is desirable to inhibit an immune response. In addition, methods and agents useful for enhancing the function of RORt with agonists or expression of this gene are also considered for use whereby it is desirable to increase immunity to a pathogen or tumor cell, for example, for use in conjunction with a vaccine. Screening methods for identifying novel modulators (antagonists and agonists) of RORt are also disclosed.

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and CAR-expressing T cells are provided that can specifically target cells that express an elevated level of a target antigen. Likewise, methods for specifically targeting cells that express elevated levels of antigen (e.g., cancer cells) with CAR T-cell therapies are provided.

Compositions and methods are provided for enhanced healing of wounds, e.g. cutaneous wounds, by application of a scaffold or matrix, e.g. a hydrogel film comprising a dose of macrophages, or monocyte progenitors thereof, which dose is effective in increasing the rate of wound healing. The compositions of the invention find use in treating cutaneous wounds, particularly chronic wounds, e.g. in diabetic patients or other patients with impaired wound healing.

Inhibition of the VIP signaling pathway using VIP antagonists is contemplated. Methods of treating or preventing a viral infection comprising administering a VIP antagonist to a subject in need thereof are also contemplated.

The present invention relates to a phenotypically distinct CD1d.sup.highCD5.sup.+ B cell subset that regulates T cell mediated inflammatory responses through the secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-IO). The invention also relates to the use of these IL-IO producing regulatory B cells in the manipulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and in the treatment of disease. Therapeutic approaches involving adoptive transfer of these regulatory B cells, or expansion of their endogenous levels for controlling autoimmune or inflammatory diseases and conditions are described. Ablation of this subset of regulatory B cells, or inhibition of their IL-IO production can be used to upregulate immunodeficient conditions, and/or to treat tumors/cancer. Diagnostic applications also are encompassed.

The present disclosure provides binding-triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides, nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the binding-triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides, and host cells genetically modified with the nucleic acids. The present disclosure also provides chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides, nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides, and host cells transduced and/or genetically modified with the nucleic acids. The present disclosure provides transgenic organisms comprising a nucleic acid encoding a binding triggered transcriptional switch polypeptide and/or a chimeric Notch receptor polypeptide of the present disclosure. Binding triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides and chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides of the present disclosure are useful in a variety of applications, which are also provided.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods that provide novel therapies in cancer. The invention includes a phagocytic cell modified with a repressor of signal regulatory protein-alpha (SIRP) and bound to a targeting antibody to enhance phagocytic activity of the phagocytic cell toward tumor tissue. Methods of enhancing phagocytic activity and treating a tumor are also included.

The present disclosure provides methods for assessing and optimizing cellular quality of a cell-based therapy that is being produced in an automated cell engineering system. The methods suitably include monitoring molecular characteristics of the cells before, during, and after the automated process to provide feedback to the process parameters. In embodiments, the cells being produced are Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cells.