This invention describes a novel CRISPR/Cas9 target identification platform permitting the discovery of novel genes and pathways involved in the ability of T cells and NK cells to react against and generate an anti-tumor response.

The present invention relates to a method for producing natural killer cells using T cells, and more particularly, to a method for producing natural killer cells, which comprises culturing seed cells using CD4(+) T cells as feeder cells. The method for producing natural killer cells using T cells according to the present invention is a method capable of producing natural killer cells by selectively proliferating only natural killer cells from a small amount of seed cells while maintaining the high killing activity of the natural killer cells. The method of the present invention can produce a large amount of natural killer cells that can be frozen, and thus is useful for commercialization of cell therapeutic agents.

The present invention relates to ex vivo methods using psammaplin A, the compound of formula (I)

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and related uses.

This disclosure relates to the combination of soluble β-glucan and immune suppression-relieving agents that affect the tumor microenvironment. Soluble β-glucan promotes an immunostimulatory environment, which allows enhanced effectiveness of anti-angiogenics, checkpoint inhibitors including non-tumor targeting antibodies.

Provided is a method of treating a cancer in an individual using activated T cells or PBMCs induced by antigen presenting cells (such as dendritic cells) loaded with a plurality of tumor antigen peptides. The method may further comprise administration of the antigen presenting cells loaded with the plurality of tumor antigen peptides to the individual. The methods may be used singly or in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also provided are precision therapy methods customized for the individual using neoantigen peptides or based on the mutation load in the tumor of the individual, methods of preparing the activated T cells, methods of monitoring the treatment, methods of cloning tumor-specific T cell receptors, an isolated population of cells comprising the activated T cells, and compositions and kits useful for cancer immunotherapy.

Methods and compositions for identifying tumor antigens of human lymphocytes, and for treating subjects having cancer, are provided herein.

The present invention provides methods or kits with inflammatory cytokines to pretreat 1-ISCs to augment their immune modulatory effect, in prevention and treatment of various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, lupus, sepsis, hepatitis, cirrhosis, Parkinson's disease, chronic infections, and GvHD. The present invention relates to novel methods for enhancing the immunosuppressive or the immune stimulatory activities of mesenchymal stem cells (JvfSCs).

Disclosed herein are methods of expanding immune cells for immunotherapy and/or increasing the purity of a population of CART cells using artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) having on their surface Protein L. The disclosed aAPCs can also secrete antibodies that bind molecules of the T cell inhibitory pathway. For example, anti-CD3 scFv on the surface of the aAPCs can bind and activate T cells, while anti-CD28 scFv and 4-1BBL on the surface of the aAPCs can provide dual co-stimulation for the T cells resulting in decreased levels of the markers CD25, TIM3, LAG3, and PD1. For example, blocking PD1/PDL1 ligation can limit suppression that is mediated by the tumor microenvironment. This is a less costly and more efficient alternative to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and cytokine treatments that result in better quality T cell for adoptive transfer back into patients.

A method for producing natural killer cells is disclosed. The method comprises isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a blood sample; isolating at least one of CD56+ cells and/or CD3−/CD56+ cells from the PBMCs; and co-culturing the at least one of CD56+ cells and/or CD3−/CD56+ cells with a combination of feeder cells in the presence of a cytokine. A composition for treating cancer is also disclosed. The composition comprises the CD56+ natural killer cells produced by the disclosed method and a cytokine.

This invention describes a novel CRISPR/Cas9 target identification platform permitting the discovery of novel genes and pathways involved in the ability of T cells and NK cells to react against and generate an anti-tumor response.