Cytokines and immune effector cell therapy.

Cytokines play an integral role in both promoting the efficacy of immune effector cell (IEC) therapies and in the development of the unique spectrum of associated toxicities, including CRS, ICANS, and IEC-HS. We review the various cytokines that have been employed in the IEC manufacturing process as well as the role of endogenous cytokines in promoting successful expansion and activity following cell infusion. We discuss the role of recombinant exogenous cytokines in further promoting T cell activity, as well as next-generation IEC products engineered to express cytokines that signal in an autonomous fashion. Finally, we discuss working models of several IEC-associated toxicities, highlighting the crucial role of cytokines in driving these toxicities, as well as interventions with anti-cytokine therapies to overcome them.