The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for the delivery of immune cells to treat un-resectable or non-resected tumor cells and tumor relapse. The compositions comprise (i) a structure comprising an injectable polymer or scaffold comprising pores; (ii) lymphocytes disposed within the structure, (iii) at least one lymphocyte-adhesion moiety associated with the structure; and (iv) at least one lymphocyte-activating moiety associated with the structure, and optionally an immune stimulant.

Embodiments of the disclosure concern methods and compositions related to cancer therapy using myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) as a solo therapy or an adjunct therapy. The MDSCs are prepared by exposing bone marrow cells or blood cells to one or more compositions that induce their differentiation to MDSCs and also to TGF-?1, and in specific embodiments the exposure to TGF-?1 results in the MDSCs having anti-tumor activity and/or immune stimulatory activity.

Compositions and methods for cross-regulation of type I interferon signaling pathways in pDCs for vaccine development are provided.

The present invention provides compositions comprising a protein expression blocker or PEBL comprising a target-binding molecule and localizing domain, and methods of using such compositions in cancer therapy. PEBLs are useful as a blockade of expression of target surface receptors (peptides or antigens) in immune cells. Also provided herein are CD3/TCR??-deficient T cells and CD3/TCR??-deficient chimeric antigen receptor T cells that express such PEBLs.

The present disclosure provides partially mature and activated dendritic cells that produce levels of cytokines/chemokines, for example, one or any combination of and/or all of IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and/or TNF?, that are correlated with improved clinical outcomes, significantly increased survival times and significantly increased times to tumor or cancer recurrence. The determined threshold amounts of these cytokines can be used for (i) a immunotherapeutic potency test for activated dendritic cells, (ii) selecting responder patients, (iii) rejecting non-responder patients, and (iv) to screen for dendritic cell activation or maturation agents that can also induce the production of the threshold amount of the cytokines/chemokines.

Isolated pluralities of T cells which recognize at least one epitope of an intestinal cancer antigen or CNS cancer antigen and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same are disclosed. Methods of making a plurality of T cells that recognize at least one epitope of an intestinal cancer antigen or CNS cancer antigen are also disclosed. Methods of treating an individual who has been diagnosed with cancer of a mucosal tissue or preventing such cancer in an individual at elevated risk are disclosed as are nucleic acid molecules that comprise a nucleotide sequence that encode proteins that recognize at least one epitope of an intestinal cancer antigen or CNS cancer antigen and T cells comprising such nucleic acid molecules.

A medicament can include a product for in vivo expression of a protein in a living being. The product can include a first entity, which includes a nucleic acid encoding an intracellularly expressible protein, and an associated second entity configured for specific binding to a cellular structure of the living being. One example of the product is a nucleotide-modified mRNA, in which includes a first ribonucleotide sequence encoding the intracellularly expressible protein, and a second ribonucleotide sequence encoding an aptamer configured for specific binding to the cellular structure of the living being.

An in vitro assay is provided for determining the effect of an immune cell on a cell from an infectious or neoplastic disease. Also provided is an in vitro assay for determining the effect of an activated CD8.sup.+ T-cell on a sensitized melanoma cell. A method for improving the specific cytolytic activity (SCA) of an immune cell comprising contacting an immune cell with an antigen and an antigen-independent pro-inflammatory agent is provided. A method for ex vivo expansion of antigen-specific CD8.sup.+ T-cells with enhanced specific cytolytic activity (SCA) comprising culturing the antigen-specific CD8.sup.+ T-cells in a suitable culture media comprising an amino acid. An in vitro assay is provided for determining the effect of an immune cell on a cell from an infectious or neoplastic disease. A method of treating a subject suffering from an infectious or neoplastic disease with immuno therapy is described.

The present invention provides compositions comprising a protein expression blocker or PEBL comprising a target-binding molecule and localizing domain, and methods of using such compositions in cancer therapy. PEBLs are useful as a blockade of expression of target surface receptors (peptides or antigens) in immune cells. Also provided herein are CD3/TCR??-deficient T cells and CD3/TCR??-deficient chimeric antigen receptor T cells that express such PEBLs.

A cancer immunotherapy method is disclosed in which induced immune anticancer agents are isolated after being induced in an animal host by intralesional (IL) administration of a halogenated xanthene tumor-ablative compound into a solid cancerous tumor of that host animal. A sample of the induced immune anticancer agents is removed (collected) from the tumor-bearing host, banked if desired, cultured and preferentially expanded to form an immunologically-effective enriched tumor-specific immune anticancer agent composition. That composition is reintroduced in to the host from which the predecessor induced immune anticancer agents were taken, or into another immunologically suitable host in need.