The present invention relates to cells engineered to express at least one cytokine and at least one antigen which induces the self differentiation of dendritic cell (DC) progenitor cells into functional antigen-presenting induced DC (iDC). Moreover, therapeutic uses of said iDC for regenerating the immune system after transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells are disclosed. Said iDC are also useful for generating mice with a functional endogenously regenerated humanized immune system producing antigen-specific T and B cell responses which can be used as animal models for the study of the human adaptive immune responses.

The methods and compositions described herein surprisingly increase CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing in stem cells by transiently treating the cells with a stem cell viability enhancer prior to and/or after contacting the cells with one or more CRISPR/Cas9 components. Further, this treatment also surprisingly results in increased engraftment of the stem cells into the target tissue of a subject. The present disclosure also provides one or more modified CRISPR/Cas9 components which, when used in combination with the stem cell viability enhancer, further increases the frequency of gene editing in stem cells, increases stem cell viability, and increases stem cell engraftment.

The present invention discloses methods of analyzing the immune reactive status of human tumors using zebrafish xenografts.

By analyzing the engraftment/clearance profiles in zebrafish xenografts, the present invention aims to identify new mechanisms of innate immune evasion/suppression and consequent biomarkers for immunotherapy; innate immunomodulator molecules that can be used in combination with established cancer immunotherapies, therefore engaging both arms of the immune system.

Further, the present invention allows the discovery of compounds with capacity to increase engraftment and, therefore, find immunomodulator molecules that can be used in transplantation procedures. Finally, this in vivo method will allow to select eligible patients for immunotherapy treatment.

The present application discloses inhibitors of NME family of proteins.

The invention described herein provides non-HLA matched humanized mouse model (e.g., NSG mouse model) with patient-derived xenograft (PDX), as well as methods of making and using the same.

Sézary syndrome is a rare, aggressive, and leukemic form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) characterized by erythroderma associated with generalized peripheral lymphadenopathy and circulating clonal malignant T cells called Sézary cells. Current animal models of Sézary syndrome are not satisfactory since no cutaneous symptoms or occurrence of metastases could be observed. Now the inventors developed a new non-human animal model that repeat the major cutaneous symptoms of the human disease. This model could be suitable for screening new drugs and biomarkers of the disease.

The present invention relates, in part, to methods of treating a subject with a condition that would benefit from an increased immune response comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that inhibits PTPN2. The present invention also provides methods and compositions for perturbing gene expression in hematopoietic cell lineages.

Provided is the use of an ECM1 gene-knockout mouse in the screening of an anti-hepatic fibrosis drug. Specifically, provided is a method for preparing an animal model of hepatic fibrosis or related diseases thereof in non-human mammals, which method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a non-human mammalian cell and inactivating an ECM1 gene in the cell, thereby obtaining a non-human mammalian cell in which the ECM1 gene is inactivated; and (b) using the cell in which the ECM1 gene is inactivated obtained in step (a) to prepare an animal model of hepatic fibrosis or related diseases thereof in which the ECM1 gene is inactivated. The animal model is an effective animal model of hepatic fibrosis or related diseases thereof, may be used for studying hepatic fibrosis or related diseases thereof, and may be used in the screening and testing of a particular drug.

The present invention relates to organoids derived from a single cell, such as a kidney cancer cell, and methods and compositions relating to the production and use thereof, including cell culture medium for producing organoids and methods of personalized treatment for kidney cancer. The invention further provides a humanized mouse including a kidney organoid derived from a patient's kidney cell.

The present invention provides certain donor animals, tissues and cells that are particularly useful for xenotransplantation therapies. In particular, the invention includes porcine animals, as well as tissue and cells derived from these, which lack any expression of functional alpha 1,3 galactosyltransferase (aGT) and express one or more additional transgenes which make these animals suitable donors for xenotransplantation of vascularized xenografts and derivatives thereof. Methods of treatment and using organs, tissues and cells derived from such animals are also provided.