Abstract: The invention provides a modified T cell, or an isolated population of immune cells expressing a CXCR3 isoform selected from CXCR3A, CXCR3B, and CXCR3alt, and optionally, further expressing transgenes comprising an artificial T cell receptor, and/or a CXCR3 ligand, for use as a medicament. The invention also provides the methods to obtain said cells, or populations of cells from a plurality of immune cells derived from a human subject. The invention also relates to assessment of CXCR3 splice variants and its ligands CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients, to enable patients to be stratified for their predicted response to a chemotherapy drug treatment, or clinical outcome.

Abstract: A nucleic acid construct for targeting and integrating a CD3 zeta-deficient chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) fragment into an endogenous CD3 zeta/CD247 gene of a host genome. Also disclosed is a genetically modified human cell expressing an exogenous nucleic acid sequence encoding a CD3 zeta deficient CAR fragment, integrated in-frame into the endogenous CD3 zeta/CD247 gene for gene fusion, to form a functional CAR including an exogenous CAR fragment fused with an endogenous CD3 zeta domain.

Abstract: The present invention provides to the field of cell therapy, in particular, to adoptive T cell or NK cell therapy. It provides a human immunophilin knockout cell that is a T cell or NK cell, wherein the immunophilin is FKBP12 or cyclophilin A, or a cell population of such cells. The cell is resistant to the action of the immunosuppressant Tacrolimus and/or cyclosporine A. It is obtainable by CRISPR/Cas, e.g., CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the immunophilin or a derivate technology. The cell can be, e.g., a virus-specific cell, e.g., specific for an antigen from any of CMV, EBV, BKV, HPV, ADV, influenza virus, or SARS-CoV-2. It may also be a regulatory T cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining T cell mediated immunity towards a CRISPR associated protein by contacting said cell preparation obtained from a patient with a CRISPR associated protein or a peptide mix that represents its amino acid sequence, or a cell manipulated to contain a CRISPR protein polypeptide to provide activated T cells. Subsequently, one or more subpopulations of said activated T cells are marked by specific ligand and counted, and a ratio (TREG/TEFF) of activated regulatory T cells to activated effector T cells is used to assess the immune status of the patient with respect to the CRISPR associated protein. The invention further relates to a method for generating a CRISPR associated protein specific Treg population and its use in therapy.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assigning to a patient a likelihood of having a kidney disease, or a likelihood of undergoing kidney transplant rejection, comprising the steps of providing a urine sample from the patient and determining the concentration of T cells, podocytes and proximal tubular epithelial cells. The ratios of these cell types are used for determining the risk of a kidney disease or transplant rejection.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a B-lymphocyte targeting agent for use in a method for the treatment or diagnosis of cardiac insufficiency. Furthermore, it is related to a composition comprising such B-lymphocyte targeting agent and methods for determining whether a patient suffering from cardiac insufficiency is amenable to the use of the B-lymphocyte targeting agent for its treatment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generation of T cell preparations that are specific for at least one target antigen, comprising the steps of expanding lymphoid cells in vitro in the presence of a target antigen or peptide fragments thereof in an expansion step, isolating cells that secrete interferon gamma and culturing, the cells in the presence of interleukin 2 and interleukin 7 and either an inhibitor of the mTOR Complex 1, or in the presence of an inhibitor of IL-2/IL-2R interaction. The invention further relates to preparations obtained by the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for testing different selected materials and/or surface structures for the culture of cells and/or microorganisms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generation of T cell preparations that are specific for at least one target antigen, comprising the steps of expanding lymphoid cells in vitro in the presence of a target antigen or peptide fragments thereof in an expansion step, isolating cells that secrete interferon gamma and culturing, the cells in the presence of interleukin 2 and interleukin 7 and either an inhibitor of the mTOR Complex 1, or in the presence of an inhibitor of IL-2/IL-2R interaction. The invention further relates to preparations obtained by the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides or pretide derivatives of the 65kD lower matrix phosphoprotein of human cytomegalovirus. The peptides disclosed are useful for determining whether subjects have een exposed to human cytomegalovirus. Methods for using these peptides or derivatives thereof to determine the peptide-induced production of interferon-? and/or TNF-? in CD8+ T cells isolated from subjects are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for testing different selected materials and/or surface structures for the culture of cells and/or microorganisms, said method comprising the following steps: i) providing a plurality of different selected materials and/or surface structures to be tested in the form of beaker-shaped inserts, wherein the beaker-shaped inserts are dimensioned in such a way that a beaker-shaped insert can be inserted in a substantially accurately fitting manner into a well of a multiwell plate suitable for cell culture, wherein each beaker-shaped insert has walls, a base, and an opening in the side facing away from the base, wherein the walls and base of the beaker-shaped inserts are liquid-tight, and wherein each beaker-shaped insert has a selected material and/or a selected surface structure, at least on the inner face of the base; ii) inserting the beaker-shaped inserts into wells of multiwell plates of appropriate dimensioning so that the outer face of the beaker base points towards

Abstract: The present invention is related to a B-lymphocyte targeting agent for use in a method for the treatment or diagnosis of cardiac insufficiency. Furthermore, it is related to a composition comprising such B-lymphocyte targeting agent and methods for determining whether a patient suffering from cardiac insufficiency is amenable to the use of the B-lymphocyte targeting agent for its treatment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the antigen-specific stimulation of T-lymphocytes with a synthetic peptide library, by preparing a plurality of peptides, each of said peptides comprising a fragment less than the whole of the total amino acid sequence of the antigen, each of said peptides being a minimum of 9 amino acid residues (AAs) in length, and the amino acid sequence of each peptide overlapping with the amino acid sequence of at least one other of said peptides; combining a plurality of the peptides from a) into a peptide library, said peptide library comprises a plurality of the peptides selected such that their collective overlapping amino acid sequences span the total amino acid sequence of the antigen; and incubating a suspension comprising CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD4+ T lymphocytes or a mixture of CD8+ and CD4+ with said peptide library in a single culture run.

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses of a B-cell-depleting antibody for the treatment of a polyoma virus infection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses of a B-cell-depleting antibody for the treatment of a polyoma virus infection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides or pretide derivatives of the 65 kD lower matrix phosphoprotein of human cytomegalovirus. The peptides disclosed are useful for determining whether subjects have een exposed to human cytomegalovirus. Methods for using these peptides or derivatives thereof to determine the peptide-induced production of interferon-? and/or TNF-? in CD8+ T cells isolated from subjects are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides or peptide derivatives of the 65 kD lower matrix phoshpoprotein of human cytomegalovirus. The peptides disclosed are useful for determining whether subjects have been exposed to human cytomegalovirus. Methods for using these peptides or derivatives thereof to determine the peptide-induced production of interferon-? and/or TNF-? in CD8+ T cells isolated from subjects are also disclosed.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against ?1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, ? and ? myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the antigen-specific stimulation of T-lymphocytes with synthetic peptide libraries, comprising the following steps: a) dividing the whole amino acid sequence of the antigen into protein fragments with partial amino acid sequences: b) synthesising a peptide library containing these protein fragments: c) incubating a suspension containing CD8− and/or CD4− T-lymphocytes with all of the protein fragments of the peptide library in a single culture batch. The method can be used for immunostimulation of T-lymphocytes of mammals, especially humans, as well as for diagnosis purposes, in order to determine whether a mammal, especially a human being, has previously responded to a specific protein with its/his/her immune system, and the strength of this response.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against &bgr;1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, &agr; and &bgr; myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.