Described herein are immune cells comprising: a T-cell receptor (TCR) and a chimeric stimulating receptor (CSR) that comprises (i) a ligand-binding module that is capable of binding or interacting with a target ligand; (ii) a transmembrane domain; and (iii) a CD30 costimulatory domain, in which the CSR in the immune cells lacks a functional primary signaling domain. Also provided herein are methods of using the same or components thereof (e.g., the CSR) for therapeutic treatment of cancers (e.g., solid tumor cancers).

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating diseases, disorders or conditions associated with the expression of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked GDNF family protein ?-receptor 4 (GFR?4).

The invention provides methods of preventing or treating ocular diseases and conditions by adoptive transfer of plasmacytoid dendritic cells and related compositions.

A method of treating neurodegenerative diseases or disorders, especially Parkinson's disease and a method of inducing neural stem cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The induced neural stem cells can express neural stem cell-related genes and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The dopaminergic precursors derived from the induced neural stem cells are transplanted into the striatum of the PD mouse models without any sign of tumorigenesis, thereby improving the behaviors of the PD mouse models and slowing down the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Materials and methods of treating a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, obesity, infertility, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism, hyperlipidaemia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypoadrenalism, polycystic ovary syndrome, or Parkinson's disease comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of ex vivo cultured activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the patient. The ex vivo cultured activated cells are activated and cultured in a presence of a cytokine and may be autologous or allogeneic relative to the patient.

The present invention relates to an in vitro or ex vivo method for inducing a phenotypic and/or functional change in a population of mononuclear phagocytes isolated from biological samples. The method includes the incubation of the population in a culture medium which includes factors released from tumor cultures or explants. The incubation takes place under hypoxic conditions and the incubation induces a phenotypic and/or functional change in the mononuclear phagocytes of the population. The macrophages thus obtained assume a unique regenerative phenotype not present in other polarized phenotypes, including M2 macrophages. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the bioreactor thus produced for the regeneration of tissues, including neural tissue.

Provided herein are chimeric receptors, engineered cells and pharmaceutical compositions for enhancement of long-term clearance of protein aggregates in the central nervous system via phagocytosis or engulfment. Further provided herein are methods of treatment of subjects suffering from, or diagnosed with, a neurodegenerative disease by administering these receptors, modified cells, and/or pharmaceutical compositions. Administration of one or more, or a plurality of these modified cells, to a subject may provide treatment of a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) or Parkinson's Disease (PD). Advantageously, the modified cells, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of the present disclosure meet existing needs in the art by providing clearance of accumulations of protein aggregates in brain tissue in PD and AD pathologies.

The present disclosure is related to compositions that include polynucleotides encoding chimeric receptors, methods of delivering polynucleotides encoding chimeric receptors to immune cells, and methods of using immune cells encoding chimeric receptors to treat or prevent a neurological disease, disorder, or injury.

The present invention pertains to a dendritic cell-based vaccine against rh--Syn, -synuclein specific peptide antibodies and related vaccines, and methods of treating, inhibiting, and/or vaccinating against Parkinson's Disease (PD), or symptoms thereof.

Compositions and methods for the treatment, prevention, or reversal of a central nervous system (CNS) injury or disorder in a patient in need that include administering a therapeutically effective amount of meningeal immune cells are disclosed. Specifically, the meningeal immune cells comprise Ly6C+ monocytes. Further disclosed are wherein the meningeal immune cells are modified to include a drug or gene therapeutic compound, and wherein the modified meningeal immune cells are configured to deliver the drug or gene therapeutic compound to the CNS of the subject via the parenchyma or meningeal tissue of the subject.