The disclosure provides CARs (CARs) that specifically bind to CD70. The disclosure further relates to engineered immune cells comprising such CARs, CAR-encoding nucleic acids, and methods of making such CARs, engineered immune cells, and nucleic acids. The disclosure further relates to therapeutic methods for use of these CARs and engineered immune cells comprising these CARs for the treatment of a condition associated with malignant cells expressing CD70 (e.g., cancer).

Provided in this disclosure are chimeric peptides that include a spacer domain, the spacer domain itself, substrates (e.g., implants) coated with the chimeric peptides, and methods for making and using the coated substrates.

Provided herein are improved gene therapy vectors and methods of use, in some embodiments, comprising sequences for improved expression and cellular targeting of a therapeutic protein.

A system for selecting an immunogenic peptide composition comprising a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to create a first peptide set by selecting a plurality of base peptides, wherein at least one peptide of the plurality of base peptides is associated with a disease, create a second peptide set by adding to the first peptide set a modified peptide, wherein the modified peptide comprises a substitution of at least one residue of a base peptide selected from the plurality of base peptides, and create a third peptide set by selecting a subset of the second peptide set, wherein the selected subset of the second peptide set has a predicted vaccine performance, wherein the predicted vaccine performance has a population coverage above a predetermined threshold, and wherein the subset comprises at least one peptide of the second peptide set.

The present invention relates to fusion proteins which are capable of binding to phosphatidylserine comprising a phosphatidylserene binding ligand and a modified O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase which is capable of autoconjugation to an O6-benzylguanine-modified label, the fusion proteins being capable of binding to phosphatidylserine on the surface of a cell undergoing apoptosis. The invention also relates to recombinant polypeptide precursors of the fusion proteins which comprise a secretion leader sequence, purification tag, protease cleavage site and the fusion protein. Also included in the scope of the invention are nucleic acids encoding the recombinant polypeptide precursor, vectors comprising the nucleic acids, host cells comprising the vectors, methods of production of the fusion proteins, kits and assays for detecting apoptosis.

The present disclosure relates to engineered polypeptides comprising degradation domains, compounds, compositions, and methods for their preparation and use as for degrading engineered proteins in cells.

Provided herein are polynucleic acids and expression vectors for the expression and secretion of angiotensin peptide fragments (e.g., angiotensin-(1-7)) in probiotic bacteria. Provided herein are also probiotic compositions that enable efficient, cost-effective and patient friendly oral therapeutics for treating diverse pathological conditions that involve the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), e.g., pulmonary hypertension, diabetes, diabetic complications, cardiovascular diseases, and ocular inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.

The invention provides chimeric antigen receptor(s) (CAR(s)) that comprise a fusion protein of CTX or any functional variant thereof or a CTX-like peptide or any functional variant thereof as the extracellular antigen recognition moiety of the CAR. CAR(s) comprising CTX, a CTX-like peptide or functional variants of the foregoing are collectively referred to herein as “CTX-CAR(s).” Such CTX-CAR(s) may further comprise additional moieties or domains in the extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain and at least one intracellular signaling domain. Such CTX-CAR(s) may be expressed in a host cell, such as, but not limited to, an immune effector cell. The present invention also provides methods of treatment (such as, for example, methods for treating cancer) by providing to the patient in need thereof immune effector cells that arc engineered to express a CTX-CAR described herein.

Described are fusion proteins of GLP-2 with an Fc region of immunoglobulin. The GLP-2 and Fc regions are separated by a linker comprised of amino acids. The fusion proteins persist and remain active in the body for longer periods of time than GLP-2 itself. Methods are disclosed of using the fusion proteins to treat and prevent enterocutaneous fistulae, radiation damage to the gastrointestinal tract, obstructive jaundice, and short bowel syndrome.

The present disclosure provides, among other things, vectors for expression of ENPP1 or ENPP3 in vivo and methods for the treatment of diseases of calcification and ossification in a subject.