Journal of leukocyte biology
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T cells kill microbial-infected and malignant cells by detection of nonself antigens with the TCR. Tumor reactivity can be encoded genetically by introducing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) into T cells. CARs are composed of an antigen-binding domain and an intracellular T cell activation domain. ⋯ It is currently managed conservatively but can be treated with cytokine-directed therapy or with high-dose steroids. Current efforts are dedicated to confirming the clinical efficacy and managing toxicities in multicenter Phase II trials. We present a thorough overview of the preclinical and clinical development of CAR T cell therapy that will highlight important areas for the basic researcher to investigate in the laboratory and contribute to this exciting field.