Circular RNA and transfer vehicles, along with related compositions and methods are described herein. In some embodiments, the inventive circular RNA comprises group I intron fragments, spacers, an IRES, duplex forming regions, and an expression sequence. In some embodiments, the expression sequence encodes a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). In some embodiments, circular RNA of the invention has improved expression, functional stability, immunogenicity, ease of manufacturing, and/or half-life when compared to linear RNA. In some embodiments, inventive methods and constructs result in improved circularization efficiency, splicing efficiency, and/or purity when compared to existing RNA circularization approaches.

An object of the present invention is to provide human fatty-liver model cells showing symptoms of the hepatic tissue of fatty liver. The present invention relates to human fatty-liver model cells, which are produced by culturing human hepatocytes derived from fatty liver in a medium containing dimethyl sulfoxide.

A method and system for the treatment of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus Kluk (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to protect them from various life-threatening conditions, including the negative effects of various pesticides, provides Monarch butterflies with the ability to assimilate and degrade pesticides such as neonicotinoids and fipronil. Certain embodiments involve the inoculation of flowers by honey bees with desired bacteria that are able to degrade pesticides, such that when Monarch butterflies visit such flowers, they are exposed to such bacteria, transforming the microbiome of the Monarch butterflies so that pesticides can be degraded, thus enhancing the health of the Monarch butterflies.

The present invention provides a method of constituting a tissue construct in vitro using a tissue without depending on scaffold materials.

A method of integrating a biological tissue with a vascular system in vitro, comprising coculturing a biological tissue with vascular cells and mesenchymal cells. A biological tissue which has been integrated with a vascular system by the above-described method. A method of preparing a tissue or an organ, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or an organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of regeneration or function recovery of a tissue or an organ, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a human or a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or an organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of preparing a non-human chimeric animal, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of evaluating a drug, comprising using at least one member selected from the group consisting of the biological tissue described above, the tissue or organ prepared by the method described above, and the non-human chimeric animal prepared by the method described above. A composition for regenerative medicine, comprising a biological tissue which has been integrated with a vascular system by the method described above.

Methods and compositions are provided for generating antigen-binding proteins against a foreign antigen of interest.

The present invention provides a genetically recombinant vaccinia virus effective in preventing or treating cancer. Specifically, the present invention provides a recombinant vaccinia virus lacking functions of VGF and O1L and having a gene encoding B5R in which an SCR domain has been deleted. Specifically, the present invention provides a vaccinia virus comprising two polynucleotides, a polynucleotide encoding IL-7 and a polynucleotide encoding IL-12; a combination kit of two vaccinia viruses, a vaccinia virus comprising a polynucleotide encoding IL-7 and a vaccinia virus comprising a polynucleotide encoding IL-12; and use of the two vaccinia viruses in combination.

The ubiquitin ligase, RNF5, regulates the gut microbiota composition and influences the immune checkpoint response to tumors. RNF5 deficient animals exhibit significant inhibition of tumor development as well as an altered gut microbiota composition. Methods of treating cancer by administering to a subject one or more selected bacterial species and/or one or more prebiotics that promote the growth of one or more selected bacterial species are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of treating cancer by administering to a subject one or more selected bacterial species and/or one or more prebiotics that promote the growth of one or more selected bacterial species in combination with one or more anti-cancer agents.

The present invention provides that exosomes from ovarian cancer patients contain nuclear proteins and genomic DNA at an increased proportion. As such, detecting nuclear-derived exosomes provides a method of early detection of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the level of nuclear-derived exosomes can be monitored over time to assess responsiveness to genotoxic therapy.

The present invention relates to: an antibody to T cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and Tyrosine-Based Inhibitory Motif Domains (TIGIT), or an antigen-binding fragment thereof; a nucleic acid encoding same; a vector carrying the nucleic acid; a cell transformed with the vector; a method for producing the antibody or the antigen-binding fragment thereof; and a composition and a composition for combined administration, which comprise same and are for preventing or treating cancer.

The present invention relates to the production of avian induced pluripotent stem cells from non-pluripotent somatic cells, including embryonic fibroblasts and adult somatic cells. In this method, avian (including quail or chicken) somatic cells are reprogrammed into a state closely resembling embryonic stem cells including the expression of key stem cell markers alkaline phosphatase, etc. by transfecting/transducing the non-stem cells with genes (preferably using a non-integrating vector as otherwise described herein or alternatively an integrating vector, such a lentiviral vector, retroviral vector or inducible lentiviral vector, among others) which express at least nanog, Lin28 and cMyc. In preferred aspects of the invention, the transfected/transduced vectors express nanog, Lig28, cMyc, Oct 4 (POU5F1 or PouV), SOX2 and KLF4. The induced stem cells which are produced contribute to all 3 germ layers, the trophectoderm and in certain aspects, the gonad in chimeric offspring.