Provided is a bispecific recombinant protein, comprising a high affinity tumor-targeting arm and a low affinity fusion protein blocking the interaction of CD47 with SIRPα. The antibody corresponding to the high affinity tumor-targeting arm does not bind to CD47, and its binding affinity to the target antigen on the tumor cell is at least 6 times as great as the binding affinity of monomer fusion protein homodimer corresponding to the low affinity fusion protein blocking the interaction of CD47 with SIRPα, to a CD47 on the tumor cell, wherein the low affinity fusion protein blocking the interaction of CD47 with SIRPα comprises a SIRPα extracellular truncation. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding recombinant proteins and the use of the recombinant proteins and nucleic acid molecules in the manufacture of a medicament for treating tumors.

Non-human animal cells and non-human animals comprising CRISPR/Cas synergistic activation mediator system components and methods of making and using such non-human animal cells and non-human animals are provided. Methods are provided for using such non-human animals to increase expression of target genes in vivo and to assess CRISPR/Cas synergistic activation mediator systems for the ability to increase expression of target genes in vivo.

The present invention relates to the field of recombinant viral vectors suitable for the delivery of therapeutic genes in vivo. Described is an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector comprising (i) a human growth hormone intron 3 (hGHi3) sequence (ii) a synapsin promoter sequence and/or (iii) a progranulin 3′ untranslated region (UTR) sequence, operably coupled to a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of interest. Specific use of such a vector lies in the enhanced expression of a polypeptide of interest, such as progranulin (PGRN), to treat subjects who have a genetic mutation or intrinsic polypeptide level that is below a physiologically normal level.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for dynamically controlling and targeting multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms in cancer. Some aspects provide cells engineered to produce multiple effector molecules, each of which modulates a different immunosuppressive mechanisms of a tumor, as well as methods of using the cells to treat cancer, such as ovarian, breast, or colon cancer.

Provided herein are compositions and methods of using a bicistronic vector for treating or preventing a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) in a subject. The disclosed compositions comprise a bicistronic vector comprising a promoter, an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES), a polynucleotide encoding a lysosomal enzyme and a polynucleotide encoding a modified GlcNAc-1 phosphotransferase (GlcNAc-1 PTase). The present methods comprise administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising the bicistronic vector as disclosed herein.

The present disclosure relates to methods of targeting specific cell types within the cochlea using optimized gene therapy vectors. In particular, the disclosure provides gene therapy vectors to specifically target cochlear cells and methods of treating hearing impairment and hearing-loss related disorders.

Provided herein are methods and agents for modulating the signaling pathway and components thereof that are responsible for assembly and disassembly of synapses in neurons, including amyloid beta (Aβ) mediated synaptotoxicity and synapse loss. Also provided herein are methods for screening and identifying candidate agents capable of modulating synapse formation and (Aβ) mediated synaptotoxicity.

Some embodiments of the invention include modified cells. Certain embodiments of the invention include methods of using modified cells. Other embodiments of the invention include methods of administering modified cells. Further embodiments of the invention include methods of administering modified cells to treat diseases. Additional embodiments of the invention are also discussed herein.

An auxin-inducible degron system kit that controls degradation of a target protein in a non-plant-derived eukaryotic cell, the kit containing a first nucleic acid that encodes a mutant TIR1 family protein having a mutation at an auxin-binding site, an auxin analog that has an affinity to the mutant TIR1 family protein and a second nucleic acid that encodes a degradation tag containing at least a part of an Aux/IAA family protein and having an affinity to a complex of the mutant TIR1 family protein and the auxin analog.

Disclosed is a method for culturing urine-derived kidney stem cells, which belongs to the field of cell biology. The method comprises the following steps: isolating cells from the urine, and then culturing the cells with a culture medium of urine-derived kidney stem cells on feeder cells to obtain the urine-derived kidney stem cells, wherein the feeder cells are fibroblasts, and the culture medium of urine-derived kidney stem cells contains 200-300 mL of DMEM medium, 200-300 mL of F12 medium, 20-70 mL of fetal bovine serum, 0.2-2 mM of L-glutamine, 1-14 ng/mL of insulin, 0.1-1 ng/mL of epidermal growth factor, 5-30 μg/mL of adenine, and 2-20 μg/mL of hydrocortisone. By using the method, kidney stem cells with high proliferation capacity and specificity can be obtained and applied, and thus the regenerative outcome of the kidney tissue after injury can be improved.