The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for enhancing the immune response toward cancers and pathogens. It relates to chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comprising a mutated CD28 intracellular motif, and cells comprising such CARs. The presently disclosed subject matter further relates to the use of said cells for treating diseases, e.g., for treating cancers.

Isolated IMP-3-derived epitope peptides having Th1 cell inducibility are disclosed herein. In preferred embodiments, such a peptide of the present invention can promiscuously bind to MHC class II molecules and induce IMP-3-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in addition to Th1 cells. Such peptides are thus suitable for use in enhancing immune response in a subject, and accordingly find use in cancer immunotherapy, in particular, as cancer vaccines. Also disclosed herein are polynucleotides that encode any of the aforementioned peptides, APCs and Th1 cells induced by such peptides and methods of induction associated therewith. Pharmaceutical compositions that comprise any of the aforementioned components as active ingredients find use in the treatment and/or prevention of cancers or tumors.

This document relates to bioengineering and involves bioengineered thymus organoids and related humanized animal models. The thymus organoids and animal models have various commercial and clinical uses, including generating humanized antibodies, making antigen-specific human T cells, inducing transplantation tolerance, rejuvenating thymus functions, and modeling human diseases.

This document relates to bioengineering and involves bioengineered thymus organoids and related humanized animal models. The thymus organoids and animal models have various commercial and clinical uses, including generating humanized antibodies, making antigen-specific human T cells, inducing transplantation tolerance, rejuvenating thymus functions, and modeling human diseases.

The invention provides methods and systems for the treatment and diagnosis of pathologic disorders by modulating a physiological state of a target biological entity via exposure of the target entity to a single or a plurality of triggered entities and for transferring of information in a non-direct way and as part of virtual reality interactive environment.

The invention provides methods and systems for the treatment and diagnosis of pathologic disorders by modulating a physiological state of a target biological entity via exposure of the target entity to a single or a plurality of triggered entities and for transferring of information in a non-direct way and as part of virtual reality interactive environment.

The present description provides improved methods for generating thymic epithelial progenitor (TEP) cells from pluripotent stem (PS) cells in vitro. Also provided are isolated invitro cell populations, compositions, and systems comprising TEP cells produced in vitro. Compositions and systems of cell populations of thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof, as well as cells formed during different stages of differentiation of PS cells into thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof are provided.

The present description provides improved methods for generating thymic epithelial progenitor (TEP) cells from pluripotent stem (PS) cells in vitro. Also provided are isolated invitro cell populations, compositions, and systems comprising TEP cells produced in vitro. Compositions and systems of cell populations of thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof, as well as cells formed during different stages of differentiation of PS cells into thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof are provided.

Provided are non-human animals, including humanized bone marrow/liver/thymus (BLT) non-human animals, that include a recipient immunodeficient animal with human thymus tissue and human liver tissue, both implanted under a kidney capsule of the recipient immunodeficient animal, and transplanted hematopoietic stem cells derived from a human liver tissue. Such non-human animals have human thymus tissue and human liver tissue that are autologous with the hematopoietic stem cells derived from the human liver tissue. Methods of making such BLT non-human animals are also provided. Also disclosed herein are human immune system non-human animals and methods of making the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide CAR-expressing T cells that coexpress a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a T cell immune function-enhancing factor and have a high immunity-inducing effect and antitumor activity, and to provide a CAR expression vector for the preparation of the CAR-expressing T cells.

A CAR expression vector comprises a nucleic acid encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a nucleic acid encoding a T cell immune function-enhancing factor, wherein the nucleic acid encoding an immune function-enhancing factor is a nucleic acid encoding interleukin-7 and a nucleic acid encoding CCL19, a nucleic acid encoding a dominant negative mutant of SHP-1, or a nucleic acid encoding a dominant negative mutant of SHP-2, or a CAR-expressing T cell introduced with the CAR expression vector are prepared.