Compositions and methods for immune cell modulation in adoptive immunotherapies

1. A method of modulating T cells, comprising contacting a population of T cells in vitro or ex vivo with a sufficient amount of a composition to obtain a population of modulated T cells, wherein the composition comprises (i) a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, and (ii) dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) or an analogue or derivative thereof,

wherein the modulated T cells exhibit (a) reduced expression of one or more T cell exhaustion markers, or (b) increased mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity, in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition, and

wherein the one or more T cell exhaustion markers include one or more of PD-1 and Tim-3.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising isolating one or more desired subpopulations from the modulated T cells.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more desired subpopulations comprises naive T cells, stem cell memory T cells, and/or central memory T cells.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells,

(a) are isolated from or comprised in peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph node tissue, cord blood, thymus tissue, tissue from a site of infection, ascites, pleural effusion, spleen tissue, or tumors;

(b) are isolated from

(i) a healthy subject;

(ii) a subject having an autoimmue disease, a hematopoietic malignancy, a virus infection or a solid tumor;

(iii) a subject previously administered with genetically modified immune cells; or

(iv) a subject that is CMV seropositive;

(c) are differentiated in vitro from stem cells, hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, or progenitor cells; or

(d) are trans-differentiated in vitro from non-pluripotent cells of hematopoietic or non-hematopoietic lineage.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the T cells are differentiated in vitro from stem cells, hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, or progenitor cells; wherein the stem cells, hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, or progenitor cells comprise at least one genetic modification; and wherein the at least one genetic modification is retained in the T cells.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein

(a) the at least one genetic modification comprises insertion or modification of a sequence encoding at least one of a safety switch protein, a targeting modality, a receptor, a signaling molecule, a transcription factor, a pharmaceutically active protein or peptide, a drug target candidate, or a protein promoting one or more activities; wherein the one or more activities comprise one or more of engraftment, trafficking, homing, viability, self-renewal, persistence, immune response regulation and modulation, and survival of the immune cells; or

(b) the at least one genetic modification comprises one or more of:

(i) deletion or reduced expression of B2M, TAP1, TAP2, Tapasin, NLRC5, PD1, LAG3, TIM3, RFXANK, CIITA, RFX5, RFXAP, or any gene in the chromosome 6p21 region; and

(ii) introduced or increased expression of HLA-E, HACD16, hnCD16, 41BBL, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD47, CD113, CD131, CD137, CD80, PDL1, A2AR, Fc receptor, or surface triggering receptors for coupling with bi- or multi-specific or universal engagers.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one genetic modification comprises an insertion, a deletion, or a nucleic acid replacement.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one genetic modification comprises an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a T Cell Receptor (TCR) and/or a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR).

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the T cells are differentiated in vitro from stem cells; and wherein the stem cells comprise induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or embryonic stem cells (ESCs).

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the T cells are differentiated in vitro from progenitor cells; and wherein the progenitor cells are CD34+ hemogenic endothelium cells, multipotent progenitor cells, or T cell progenitor cells.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of modulated T cells comprises at least one of the following:

(a) increased central memory T cell subpopulation; and

(b) decreased effector T cell subpopulation;

in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the population of modulated T cells further comprises (a) increased gene expression in at least one of CD27, C—C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7), CD62L, transcription factor 7 (TCF7), lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), and (b) decreased gene expression in at least one of PR domain zinc finger protein 1 (BLIMP-1), fructose-bisphosphate aldolase C (ALDOC), gamma enolase (ENO2), PD-1 and Tim-3, in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the population of modulated T cells comprises increased spare respiratory capacity (SRC) in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the population of modulated T cells further comprises improved expansion and viability in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the population of modulated T cells further comprises improved capability in tumor clearance and persistence in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition.

16. A composition comprising the modulated T cells made by claim 1 and a therapeutically acceptable medium.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the mTOR inhibitor is rapamycin, sirolimus, temsirolimus, 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (everolimus), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-(2-[2-hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, or 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin; and

(b) the analogue or derivative of dmPGE2 is PGE 2 , 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 p-(p-acetamidobenzamido) phenyl ester, 11-deoxy-16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene-16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene PGE 2 , 9-keto Fluprostenol, 5-trans PGE 2 , 17-phenyl-omega-trinor PGE 2 , PGE 2 serinol amide, PGE 2 methyl ester, 16-phenyl tetranor PGE 2 , 15(S)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 15(R)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 8-iso-15-keto PGE 2 , 8-iso PGE 2 isopropyl ester, 8-iso-16-cyclohexyl-tetranor PGE 2 , 20-hydroxy PGE 2 , 20-ethyl PGE 2 , 11-deoxy PGEi, nocloprost, sulprostone, butaprost, 15-keto PGE 2 , or 19 (R) hydroxy PGE 2 .

18. A composition comprising:

(a) an isolated population of modulated T cells;

(b) a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor; and

(c) dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) or an analogue or derivative thereof,

wherein the modulated T cells exhibit (a) reduced expression of one or more T cell exhaustion markers, or (b) increased mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity, in comparison to a population of T cells that are not modulated with the composition, and

wherein the one or more T cell exhaustion markers include one or more of PD-1 and Tim-3.

19. The composition of claim 18 ,

(a) wherein the mTOR inhibitor is selected from rapamycin, and analogues and derivatives thereof;

(b) wherein the analogue or derivative of dmPGE2 is selected from the group consisting of PGE 2 , 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 p-(p-acetamidobenzamido) phenyl ester, 11-deoxy-16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene-16, 16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene PGE 2 , 9-keto Fluprostenol, 5-trans PGE 2 , 17-phenyl-omega-trinor PGE 2 , PGE 2 serinol amide, PGE 2 methyl ester, 16-phenyl tetranor PGE 2 , 15(S)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 15(R)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 8-iso-15-keto PGE 2 , 8-iso PGE 2 isopropyl ester, 8-iso-16-cyclohexyl-tetranor PGE 2 , 20-hydroxy PGE 2 , 20-ethyl PGE 2 , 11-deoxy PGEi, nocloprost, sulprostone, butaprost, 15-keto PGE 2 , and 19 (R) hydroxy PGE 2 ; or

(c) wherein the modulated T cells further comprise at least one of the following:

(i) increased gene expression in at least one of CD27, CCR7, CD62L, TCF7, and LEF1;

(ii) decreased gene expression in at least one of BLIMP-1, ALDOC, ENO2, and PGK1;

(iii) increased central memory T cell subpopulation;

(iv) decreased effector T cell subpopulation; and

(v) improved capability in tumor clearance and persistence, compared to a population of unmodulated T cells.

20. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the mTOR inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sirolimus, sirolimus derivatives, temsirolimus, 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (everolimus), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-[2-(2-hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, and 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin.

21. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the modulated T cells are differentiated in vitro from stem cells, hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, or progenitor cells; wherein the stem cells, hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, or progenitor cells comprise at least one genetic modification; and wherein the at least one genetic modification is retained in the modulated T cells.

22. The composition of claim 21 , wherein the at least one genetic modification comprises an insertion, a deletion, or a nucleic acid replacement.

23. The composition of claim 21 , wherein the at least one genetic modification comprises an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a T Cell Receptor (TCR) and/or a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR).

24. The composition of claim 21 , wherein the stem cells comprise induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or embryonic stem cells (ESCs).

25. The composition of claim 21 , wherein the progenitor cells are CD34+hemogenic endothelium cells, multipotent progenitor cells, or T cell progenitor cells.

26. The composition of claim 18 , wherein:

(a) the mTOR inhibitor is rapamycin, sirolimus, temsirolimus, 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (everolimus), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-(2-[2-hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, or 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin; and

(b) the analogue or derivative of dmPGE2 is PGE 2 , 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 p-(p-acetamidobenzamido) phenyl ester, 11-deoxy-16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene-16, 16-dimethyl PGE 2 , 9-deoxy-9-methylene PGE 2 , 9-keto Fluprostenol, 5-trans PGE 2 , 17-phenyl-omega-trinor PGE 2 , PGE 2 serinol amide, PGE 2 methyl ester, 16-phenyl tetranor PGE 2 , 15(S)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 15(R)-15-methyl PGE 2 , 8-iso-15-keto PGE 2 , 8-iso PGE 2 isopropyl ester, 8-iso-16-cyclohexyl-tetranor PGE 2 , 20-hydroxy PGE 2 , 20-ethyl PGE 2 , 11-deoxy PGEi, nocloprost, sulprostone, butaprost, 15-keto PGE 2 , or 19 (R) hydroxy PGE 2 .