The present invention is directed to methods for increasing T-cell effector cell to regulatory T cell ratio. The invention is further directed to methods of treating, protecting against, and inducing an immune response against a tumor, comprising the step of administering to a subject a recombinant Listeria strain, comprising a fusion peptide that comprises an LLO fragment and tumor-associated antigen.

This document provides methods and materials for treating cancer. For example, methods and materials for identifying antigens and combinations of antigens that can be used to treat cancer as well as combinations of antigens having the ability to reduce established tumors (e.g., gliomas) within a mammal (e.g., a human) are provided. In general, one aspect of this document features a composition comprising, or consisting essentially of, nucleic acid encoding HIF-2a, SOX-10, C-MYC, and TYRP-1, wherein the composition comprises less than 100 separate nucleic acid molecules.

Provided is a method for inducing T cells for a cell-based immunotherapy, comprising the steps of: (1) providing Rag 1 and/or Rag 2 gene knockout human pluripotent stem cells bearing genes encoding a T cell receptor specific for a desired antigen, and (2) inducing T cells from the pluripotent stem cells of step (1). Further provided are a cell-based immunotherapy method that uses the T cells for the cell-based immunotherapy and an iPS cell bank for the cell-based immunotherapy.

The invention concerns APCs, such as DCs, comprising a combination of an exogenous type I interferon and an exogenous CD40-L or one or more heterologous nucleic acid sequences encoding a combination of an exogenous type I IFN and an exogenous CD40-L, such as a combination of IFN and CD40-L; and methods for treating a malignancy by administering such APCs to a subject in need thereof. In certain embodiments, a subject is treated with an irradiation therapy before administering the APCs, such as DCs, of the invention. The invention also concerns an oncolytic virus comprising a combination of a type I IFN and CD40-L or one or more nucleic acid sequences encoding a combination of a type I IFN and CD40-L, such as a combination of IFN and CD40-L; and methods for treating a malignancy by administering such oncolytic virus to a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to TSCM cells and uses thereof. TSCM cells can be used help identify and treat patients who are likely to experience particular treatment outcomes. In other embodiments TSCM cells are generated in vitro and used for adoptive transfer therapy.

The present disclosure relates to a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) which comprises an antigen-binding domain which selectively binds TCR beta constant region 1 (TRBC1) or TRBC2; cells; such a T cells comprising such a CAR; and the use of such cells for the treatment of a T-cell lymphoma or leukaemia in a subject.

The present invention relates to efficient methods for providing antigen-specific lymphoid cells. These lymphoid cells may be used to provide antigen specific T cell receptors having a defined MHC restriction and to identify immunologically relevant T cell epitopes. Furthermore, the present invention relates to antigen-specific T cell receptors and T cell epitopes and their use in immunotherapy.

The present invention relates to methods of inducing or enhancing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acid vaccines, cellular vaccines, fusion proteins, expression vectors, vaccines, and immunogenic compositions for use therein.

The present invention relates to a method of detecting a therapeutic cell expressing a dopamine transporter (DAT) at a central nervous system (CNS) site in a subject, which comprises the administration of a DAT tracer to the subject, wherein the presence of a therapeutic cell which expresses the DAT is determined.

The present invention provides methods for inducing tolerance and/or suppressing an immune response to an antigen by passing a cell suspension containing an anucleate cell through a constriction, wherein the constriction deforms the cell thereby causing a perturbation of the cell such that an antigen and/or tolerogenic factor enters the cell. In some embodiments, the anucleate cell is delivered to an individual and the antigen is delivered to and processed in a tolerogenic environment to induce tolerance and/or suppress an immune response to the antigen.