The present invention relates to a composition for inducing dendritic cell maturation and a method for maturing dendritic cells. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composition including a fusion protein of Rv2299c and ESAT-6, both derived from M. tuberculosis, as an active ingredient for inducing dendritic cell maturation, and a method for differentiating immature dendritic cells into dendritic cells by using the same. The method of the present invention can increase a dendritic cell immune response in the body.

Various aspects of the invention relate to compositions comprising polycytotoxic T cells. Some aspects relate to methods for obtaining a composition comprising polycytotoxic T cells. Some aspects relate to methods of administering a composition comprising polycytotoxic T cells to a subject. Some aspects relate to methods for monitoring an immune response in a subject, comprising determining the concentration of polycytotoxic T cells in the blood of the subject. Some aspects relate to methods for treating a condition or disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising an antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that specifically binds to a protein expressed by a polycytotoxic T cell.

Disclosed herein is a vaccine comprising an antigen and IL-33. Also disclosed herein is a method for increasing an immune response in a subject in need thereof. Further disclosed herein is a method for treating cancer in a subject in need thereof. The methods may comprise administering the vaccine to the subject.

Devices, systems, and methods can be used for the automated production of dendritic cells (DC) from dendritic cell progenitors, such as monocytes obtained from peripheral blood, and the automated generation of immunotherapeutic products from those dendritic cells, all within a closed system. The invention makes it possible to obtain sufficient quantities of a subject's own DC for use in preparing and characterizing vaccines, for activating and characterizing the activation state of the subject's immune response, and to aid in preventing and/or treating cancer or infectious disease.

The present disclosure relates, at least in part, to mycobacterial polynucleotides and polypeptides, to fragments or variants thereof, to cells comprising the mycobacterial polynucleotides and polypeptides, to cells comprising the mycobacterial polynucleotides and polypeptides, that are engineered to expand T-cells ex vivo, and to methods of use thereof.