The present invention relates to an immune cell that are engineered to overexpress cell signaling pathway modulator(s) and a use thereof. As a specific example, an immune cell expressing a fusion protein comprising a chimeric antigen receptor and a cell signaling pathway modulator(s) performs an immune response by selecting a target cancer cell by a chimeric antigen receptor expressed on a cell membrane. In this case, the cell signaling pathway modulator is overexpressed in the cytoplasm, thereby being capable of regulating the activity of an immune cell. Therefore, the fusion protein comprising a chimeric antigen receptor and cell signaling pathway modulator(s), and the immune cell engineered to overexpress the cell signaling pathway modulator(s) of the present invention can be usefully used in the treatment of cancer.

The present invention relates to macromolecular complexes comprising micron-scale networks which include binding motifs thereon which allow the covalent bonding of the micron-scale networks to particles which provide nanoscale display surfaces. In particular the present invention relates to micron-scale networks of TMV coat proteins comprising a peptide tag (e.g. SpyTag) and particles providing a nanoscale display surface comprising GFP and a corresponding binding protein (e.g. SpyCatcher) wherein the peptide tag and binding protein pair are capable of spontaneously forming a covalent bond.

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for inhibiting the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment using cell therapy wherein the cells express a chimeric protein having an extracellular domain that binds TRAIL-R2 and an intracellular domain that in specific embodiments comprises one or more costimulatory domains that enhance activity of the cells upon activation. In specific embodiments, the chimeric protein comprises an scFv that targets TRAIL-R2 and an intracellular region that comprises a costimulatory domain from 4-1BB. In particular embodiments, the cells also express a therapeutic protein, such as a chimeric antigen receptor.

Embodiments of the methods and compositions provided herein relate to anti-CD171 chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Some embodiments relate to anti-CD171 CARs having long extracellular polypeptide spacers. Some embodiments relate to cells containing such anti-CD171 CARs having increased persistence and activity at a lower dose in a subject compared to cells containing anti-CD171 CARs comprising shorter polypeptide spacers.

Provided are an H5 avian influenza vaccine strain which differentiates infected from vaccinated animals, a preparation method therefor, and an application. The vaccine strain uses an NA protein of influenza B as a label, and has application value and public health significance for the prevention, control and decontamination of H5 avian influenza.

A protein comprising (i) a domain of the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor receptor (PDGFR) and (ii) a domain of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor receptor (VEGFR) is provided. In a preferred embodiment, said domain of PDGFR and said domain of VEGFR are attached by a linker consisting of proline, alanine and serine. The domain of PDGFR and said domain of VEGFR can also be attached by a linker consisting of proline and alanine. Compositions comprising the proteins, as well as therapeutic uses thereof are also provided.

The present invention provides a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) fusion protein comprising from N-terminus to C-terminus: (i) a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) comprising V.sub.H and V.sub.L, wherein scFv has an activity against CD47, (ii) a transmembrane domain, (iii) at least one co-stimulatory domains, and (iv) an activating domain. In one embodiment, the scFv is derived from a humanized anti-CD47 antibody. The present invention also provides T cells modified to express the CAR of the present invention.

The present invention relates to new CD22 Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CD22 CAR), an engineered immune cell endowed with said new CD22 CAR and comprising at least inactivated TRAC gene for use in therapy. The engineered immune cells endowed with such CARs are particularly suited for treating relapsed refractory CD22 expressing cancers.

The disclosure provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains of Bacillus thuringiensis encoding polypeptides having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including Lepidoptera. Particular embodiments of the disclosure provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, pesticidal compositions, DNA constructs, and transformed microorganisms and plants comprising a nucleic acid of the embodiments. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.

Some embodiments provided herein are chimeric costimulatory antigen receptor (CoStAR), useful in adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and cells comprising the CoStAR. In some embodiments, the CoStAR can act as a modulator of cellular activity enhancing responses to defined antigens. In some embodiments, CoStAR and/or fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the CoStAR and therapeutic uses thereof are also provided.