Persistent inflammation is a driving force of fibrosis progression. Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are non-conventional T cells that display altered functions during chronic inflammatory diseases. Here, the inventors report a loss of circulating MAIT cells in cirrhotic patients and their hepatic accumulation in an activated phenotype within the fibrotic septa. Using two models of chronic liver injury, the inventors demonstrate that mice enriched in MAIT cells (Vα19TCRTg) show exacerbated liver fibrosis and higher number of hepatic fibrogenic cells than wild type counterparts, whereas MAIT cell-deficient mice (MR1.sup.−/−mice) are resistant. The results highlight the profibrogenic functions of MAIT cells and suggest that 1 targeting MAIT cells may constitute an attractive antifibrogenic strategy during chronic liver injury. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method of treating fibrosis in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of inhibiting the activation of MAIT cells.

Provided herein is a model, in particular a mouse model, for assessing or evaluating toxicity to an immunotherapy, for example a therapeutic cell therapy, such as a cell therapy containing engineered cells, such as T cells, expressing a recombinant receptor, e.g. a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Also provided is a method for generating the mouse model. Also provided herein are methods of use for the mouse models of toxicity, such as to evaluate modified or alternative immunotherapies, and/or to evaluate test agents, including agents to assess as potential interventions to reduce, prevent, or ameliorate toxicity to immunotherapy in human subjects and/or for use in combination with an immunotherapy, e.g. CAR−T cell therapy.

The present disclosure relates to a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) variant lacking 60 to 120 amino acid residues at the N terminus, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the TH variant lacking 60 to 120 amino acid residues at the N terminus and the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). The present disclosure further relates to a nucleotide construct, a vector plasmid, a cell or a virus comprising the TH variant or the pharmaceutical composition, as well as use of the virus in the manufacture of a medicament for treating neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's Disease).

A protein selected from the group consisting of Chrdl1, Fam3c, Fam3b and a fragment thereof, or a polynucleotide encoding therefor, for use in treating or reducing the risk of heart disease.

Genetically modified pigs having at least one cancer and/or at least one co-morbid condition are provided. Also provided are methods of using the pig and derived tumor cells to screen for therapeutic compounds, medical devices or procedures, and/or combinations thereof. Further provided are methods of producing personalized cancer models, including obtaining a tumor sample from a subject, identifying mutations in the tumor sample, and producing a genetically modified tumor or tumor cell line having the same mutations.

A method of improving motor function and reducing dyskinesia in a subject suffering from a neurodegenerative disease or a disease where endogenous dopamine levels are reduced in the subject comprising administering an effective amount of a viral vector comprising a nucleic acid construct comprising (i) a nucleotide sequence which encodes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), (ii) a nucleotide sequence which encodes GTP-cyclohydrolase I (CH1), (iii) a nucleotide sequence which encodes Aromatic Amino Acid Dopa Decarboxylase (AADC), or any combination thereof to the subject.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding NMD polypeptides, and methods of using such polypeptides and nucleic acids in the treatment of ALS and in screening for agents for the treatment of ALS are described.

Methods of treating fibrotic diseases and disorders including Systemic sclerosis (SSc) are provided. Methods include, for example, administering to a subject an effective amount of an antagonist/inhibitor of PTP4A1 protein expression or activity to treat a fibrotic disease or disorder such as SSc, or an associated pathology such as organ or skin fibrosis.

The present invention includes compositions and methods for treating diseases or disorders associated with pathological calcification or pathological ossification. In certain embodiments, the diseases or disorders are selected from the group consisting of Generalized Arterial Calcification of Infancy (GACI), Idiopathic Infantile Arterial Calcification (IIAC), Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL), hypophosphatemic rickets, osteoarthritis, calcification of atherosclerotic plaques, PXE, hereditary and non-hereditary forms of osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, hardening of the arteries occurring with aging, calciphylaxis resulting from end stage renal disease and progeria.

The present invention relates to a composition for preventing or treating skin diseases, comprising a skin-penetrating nucleic acid complex as an effective component, and more specifically, to a pharmaceutical composition or a cosmetic composition for preventing, alleviating, or treating atopic dermatitis, comprising a skin-penetrating nucleic acid complex in which a carrier peptide nucleic acid and a bioactive nucleic acid targeting TLR2 or IL-4Rα are connected by complementary binding. The skin-penetrating nucleic acid complex according to the present invention, in which the carrier peptide nucleic acid and the bioactive nucleic acid targeting TLR2 or IL-4Rα are connected by complementary binding, has high skin permeation and skin retention, and thus is useful in the prevention, alleviation or treatment of skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis.