Disclosed are compositions and methods for ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Also disclosed are compositions and method for identifying an agent for ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for use in ACT. Also disclosed are methods for treating cancer using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expanded by the disclosed methods.

Embodiments of the disclosure concern methods and compositions for immunotherapy for human papillomavirus infection and diseases associated therewith. In specific embodiments, methods concern production of immune cells that target one or more antigens of HPV16 and/or HPV18, including methods with stimulation steps that employ IL-7 and IL-15, but not IL-6 and/or IL-12. Other specific embodiments utilize stimulations in the presence of certain cells, such as costimulatory cells and certain antigen presenting cells.

The present invention provides a method for preparing dendritic cell loaded with antigen, the method comprising the steps of adding serum-free cell culture medium containing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and inter-leukin (IL)-4 into mononuclear cells, culturing in an incubator at 37° C. under 5% carbon dioxide for 5 days, adding target antigen wrapped cationic liposome and culturing for 8-24 hours to obtain target antigen loaded dendritic cell.

Methods and composition for potentiating germinal centers are disclosed herein. The methods include potentiating germinal centers to enhance antibody production in response to a vaccine, to increase antibody titer in response to a vaccine, and to enhance B cell class switching.

The disclosure provides a method of new use of an immunomodulatory drug comprising a water-soluble acidic peptidoglycan from sprouts of the plant Solanum tuberosum (WSPG) for prevention and treatment of metastatic tumor growth, comprising an application of a therapeutically effective dose of a said immunomodulatory drug or a pharmaceutical composition of a said immunomodulatory drug with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, or a pharmaceutically effective amount of mammalian immune cells treated with said immunomodulatory drug WSPG in vitro/ex vivo to a patient in need thereof.

Provided herein are placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells, combined natural killer cells from placenta and umbilical cord blood, and combinations thereof. Also provided herein are compositions comprising the same, and methods of using placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells, and combined natural killer cells and combinations thereof, to suppress the growth or proliferation of tumor cells, cancer cells, and the like, and to treat individuals having tumor cells. Also provided herein are methods of treating an individual having a tumor or graft-versus-host disease with placental perfusate, placental perfusate-derived cells, natural killer cells from placenta, e.g., from placental perfusate, and/or combined natural killer cells comprising natural killer cells from placenta, e.g., from placental perfusate, and umbilical cord blood.

In some aspects, disclosed are methods and compositions for disc regeneration and/or repair using one or more components from conditioned media from fibroblasts. In certain cases, conditioned media is obtained from fibroblasts stimulated with one or more opioid receptor antagonists and one or more toll-like receptor agonists. Conditioned media from fibroblasts may be provided in an effective amount to an individual in need thereof.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for ex vivo expansion of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes for use in adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Also disclosed are compositions and method for identifying an agent for ex vivo expansion of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes for use in ACT. Also disclosed are methods for treating cancer using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expanded by the disclosed methods.

A method and device for preferentially delivering a compound such as an antigen to the cytosol of an immune cell. The method comprises passing a cell suspension comprising the target immune cell through a microfluidic device and contacting the suspension with the compound(s) or payload to be delivered.

The present invention relates to immunogenic peptides comprising a T-cell epitope. Said peptides are modified such that CD4+ T-cell responses are obtainable that arc much stronger than the CD4+ T-cell responses obtained with the same peptides not comprising said modification. In particular, the modification is the addition of a cysteine, insertion of a cysteine or mutation into a cysteine of a residue at a position adjacent to but outside the MIIC-binding site of the peptide. Further disclosed are the use of such modified peptides in treating, suppressing or preventing diseases such as infectious or allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases, in preventing or suppressing graft rejection, or in the eradication of tumor cells.