Nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and recombinant cells harboring the nucleic acid constructs or vectors are disclosed. The nucleic acid constructs include genes encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and/or one or more transcription factors, optionally mutated. The transcription factors include those that mediate proinflammatory cytokine expression, e.g., T-bet, STAT1, or STAT4. Methods are disclosed of co-expression of the CAR and the transcription factor in a human or non-human immune cell, preferably human T cells. Also disclosed are methods for using these cells for immunotherapy, e.g., in treating cancer, infection, autoimmunity, allergy or inflammation diseases by the administration of a prophylactically or therapeutically effective amount of one or more of the nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and/or immune cells, e.g., human CAR-T cells, described herein.