The present disclosure provides modified EGFR peptides useful in genetically-modified cells to allow for selection and enrichment of those cells expressing the modified EGFR peptide. For example, isolation of genetically-modified cells expressing a modified EGFR peptide can allow for selection of cells that co-express a chimeric antigen receptor or exogenous T cell receptor. In those instances wherein the genetically-modified cells present adverse effects when administered to a subject, the modified EGFR finds further use as a suicide gene upon administration of an anti-EGFR antibody, leading to depletion of the genetically-modified cells. Also disclosed herein are plasmids and viral vectors comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the modified EGFR peptides, and methods of administering compositions comprising the modified EGFR peptides to subjects in order to reduce the symptoms, progression, or occurrence of disease, such as cancer.

An apparatus for isolating stems cells from extracted mammalian tissue comprising: a portable hollow casing having fixed dimensions and a sized internal spatial volume; a filter housed and contained within said sized internal spatial volume, wherein said filter captures particles in said extracted mammalian tissue having a diameter of about 5 to 10 microns or more and allows particles in said extracted mammalian tissue having a diameter of less than about 5 to 10 microns to pass through; a first channel to which a container holding said extracted mammalian tissue can attach, and through which said extracted mammalian tissue is input into the hollow casing; wherein a stem cell collection chamber can attach to said first channel, and the particles having a diameter of about 5 to 10 microns or more are output from the hollow casing through said first channel and collected in the stem cell collection chamber; and a second channel to which a remnant collection chamber can attach, and through which the particles having a diameter of less than about 5 to 10 microns are output from the hollow casing and collected in the remnant collection chamber.

The technology relates in part to methods for inducing partial apoptosis of cells that express an inducible caspase polypeptide. The technology further relates in part to methods for inducing partial apoptosis of cells that express an inducible modified caspase polypeptide, having a modified dose response curve to the multimeric ligand inducer. The technology also relates in part to methods for cell therapy using cells that express the inducible caspase polypeptide or the inducible modified caspase polypeptide, where the proportion of caspase polypeptide-expressing cells eliminated by apoptosis is related to the administered amount of the multimeric ligand inducer.

Methods for the ex vivo use of NAD to remove T cells that can potentially cause graft-verus-host disease (GvHD) from hematopoietic stem cell sources. Hematopoietic stem cell sources include bone marrow, cord blood, and peripheral blood (including mobilized peripheral blood). The present invention is a method including steps for using the hematopoietic stem cell sources treated with NAD for hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs). HSCTs are used as the standard-of-care in many diseases including several types of cancer and several genetic disorders. The majority of these transplants are allogeneic, in which the stem cell source comes from a donor who is a different individual than the intended recipient. Allogeneic HSCTs carry a risk of causing GvHD, in which donor T cells attack the recipient.

The disclosure provides methods for the selection and isolation of T cells expressing programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and for selecting a PD-1 expression level of the isolated PD-1 expressing T cells. The disclosure also provides methods of large scale expansion of selected and isolated PD-1 expressing T cells, as well as methods for treating a subject comprising administering selected and isolated PD-1 expressing T cells to the subject.

The invention provides methods and compositions for administration of allogeneic lymphocytes as an exogenous source of CD4+ T cell help for endogenous, tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells.

The invention provides a chimeric receptor comprising NKG2D, DAP10 and CD3 zeta. Also disclosed is a composition comprising this chimeric receptor and methods for making and using it to enhance the cytotoxicity and antitumor capacity of NK cells. The invention also encompasses methods for use of NKG2D-DAP10-CD3 zeta polypeptides, vectors and cells in methods for treating cancer and other proliferative disorders, as well as infectious diseases.

The invention provides compositions and methods useful for the depletion of cells, such as CD45+, CD135+, CD34+, CD90+, and/or CD110+ cells, and for the treatment of various hematopoietic diseases, metabolic disorders, cancers, and autoimmune diseases, among others. Described herein are antibodies, antigen-binding fragments, ligands, and conjugates thereof that can be applied to effect the treatment of these conditions, for instance, by depleting a population of CD45+, CD135+, CD34+, CD90+, or CD110+ cells in a patient, such as a human. The compositions and methods described herein can be used to treat a disorder directly, for instance, by depleting a population of CD45+, CD135+, CD34+, CD90+, or CD110+ cancer cells or autoimmune cells. The compositions and methods described herein can also be used to prepare a patient for hematopoietic stem cell transplant therapy and to improve the engraftment of hematopoietic stem cell transplants by selectively depleting endogenous hematopoietic stem cells prior to the transplant procedure.

Certain populations of small cells present in adult human tissue can undergo activation/development to form human pluripotent stem cell populations. These small cells are generally less than six micrometers in diameter and are CD49f-positive, and are referred to herein as human early stage precursors or CD49f.sup.+ cells. Accordingly, provided are cell populations and compositions with enriched CD49f.sup.+ cells from adult human tissue samples and methods and compositions for promoting activation/development of these CD49f.sup.+ cells. Upon differentiation, the activated stem cells can be used for various therapeutic purposes.

The invention provides cellular compositions that contain CD34.sup.+ cells derived from bone marrow of a decease donor and CD3.sup.+ cells derived from non-bone marrow of the deceased donor. The compositions are useful to promote mixed chimerism in recipients of solid organ transplants. The invention also provides methods of making and using such compositions. In certain embodiments, the invention further provides methods of analyzing and preparing blood and blood components from a deceased donor for use in compositions of the invention to promote mixed chimerism in solid organ transplant recipients.