The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for making and using engineered killer phagocytic cells for immunotherapy in cancer or infection by expressing a chimeric antigen receptor having an enhanced phagocytic activity, the chimeric receptor is encoded by a recombinant nucleic acid.

The invention relates to mesodermal killer (MK) cells and their use in therapy, especially for the treatment of cancer.

Disclosed are means, methods and compositions of matter for treatment Parkinson's Disease through concurrent immune modulation and regenerative means. In one embodiment Parkinson's Disease is treated by augmentation of T regulatory cell numbers and/or activity while concurrently providing regenerative cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, and/or dopamine secreting cells. In one embodiment administration of immunoglobulins such as IVIG together with low dose interleukin-2 and/or low dose naltrexone is disclosed as a preparatory means prior to administration of therapeutic cells such as stem cells. Other therapeutic means utilized in an adjuvant manner are also provided for hormonal rebalancing, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and deep brain stimulation.

Methods to form a surface coating and surface pattern, which are based on adsorption of hydrocarbon chains that can be used with imaging optics to visualize macrophage fusion and multinucleated giant cell formation with living specimens are described.

Therapeutic and diagnostic methods are provided, which methods relate to the induction of expression of calreticulin on phagocytic cells. Specifically, the methods relate to macrophage-mediated programmed cell removal (PrCR), the methods comprising increasing PrCR by contacting a phagocytic cell with a toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist; or down-regulating PrCR by contacting a phagocytic cell with an inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). In some embodiments, an activator of TLR signaling or a BTK agonist is provided in combination with CD47 blockade.

The present invention relates to a method of culturing primitive-like macrophages from stem cells, a kit when used in the method thereof and uses of the primitive like macrophage for in-vitro disease models and for screening compounds for therapy. One embodied culture method comprises contacting and incubating embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells with a serum-free culture media comprising a GSK3 inhibitor to differentiate stem cells into cells of the mesoderm lineage, followed by incubation with a culture media comprising Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) to differentiate the mesoderm into cells of hematopoietic lineage, maturing hematopoietic cells and incubating these cells with a culture media comprising M-CSF to drive differentiation into primitive-like macrophages. Another embodiment comprises incubating the stem cells with serum-free culture media comprising FGF2 and BMP4 to induce differentiation into cells of the mesoderm lineage, followed by incubating the cells with a culture media comprising FGF2, BMP4, Activin A and VEGF to differentiate the cells of the mesoderm lineage into cells of the hematopoietic cell lineage, maturing the cells of the hematopoietic cell lineage and lastly, incubating the matured hematopoietic cells with culture media comprising M-CSF to drive the differentiation of hematopoietic cells into primitive-like macrophages.

The present invention relates to the use of immunoregulatory macrophages for treating diseases that are associated with pathological changes of the blood vessels. The present invention particularly relates to the use of immunoregulatory macrophages for treating micro- and macroangiopathies of the lower limbs. The invention furthermore relates to the use of immunoregulatory macrophages for promoting tissue remodelling to facilitate wound healing. Pharmaceutical compositions for use in the recited treatments are also disclosed which comprise the immunoregulatory macrophages.

The present disclosure pertains to methods of modifying an immune cell by delivering a modified messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and modified immune cells comprising CARs.

The present disclosure relates to antigen presenting cells and uses thereof for treating sepsis. In some aspects, disclosed herein is an antigen presenting cell, comprising: a lipid-based nanoparticle, comprising: a recombinant polynucleotide, comprising: a first nucleic acid encoding an antimicrobial peptide; a second nucleic acid encoding cathepsin B; and a third nucleic acid encoding a linker; and a vitamin-lipid.

The present disclosure relates generally to compositions for inducing an immunosuppressive phenotype in an antigen presenting cell of the immune system via ligands that activate CD1d signaling. Uses thereof in a therapeutic protocol for treating or preventing conditions associated with aberrant immune system activation, such as autoimmune disease, inflammatory disease, allergy and transplant rejection are detailed.