cytokine-induced killer cells (Changzhou First People's Hospital)

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are an autologous adoptive cell therapy being investigated by The First People's Hospital of Changzhou for the treatment of melanoma. CIK cells are a heterogeneous population of immune effector cells, predominantly consisting of CD3+CD56+ T cells, which are generated by the ex vivo expansion of a patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The production process involves sequential stimulation with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies, and interleukin-2 (IL-2), resulting in cells that combine the potent anti-tumor activity of natural killer (NK) cells with the robust proliferative capacity of T cells. CIK cells exert their therapeutic effect through non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity, primarily mediated by the NKG2D receptor, which recognizes stress-induced ligands frequently overexpressed on malignant cells. In clinical studies conducted at The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, these cells are administered intravenously, often in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor ipilimumab, to evaluate their safety and efficacy in patients with stage II or stage IV metastatic melanoma.

Other names

cytokine-induced killer cells-The First People's Hospital of Changzhou-melanomaCIK cellsCIK immunotherapycytokine-induced killer cell therapy