Cytokines and Immune Regulation: Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Targeting

This chapter offers a systematic review of the cytokine networks that orchestrate immune responses in health and disease, with a focus on interleukins, interferons, tumor necrosis factor superfamily members, and recently characterized cytokine families implicated in immunopathology. It examines the mechanisms through which cytokine dysregulation contributes to chronic inflammatory conditions, cytokine storm syndromes, and immune-mediated organ damage, drawing on insights from therapeutic cytokine blockade in clinical settings. The chapter provides a forward-looking appraisal of next-generation cytokine-targeted biologics, bispecific antibodies, and intracellular signaling inhibitors under development for a range of immune-mediated diseases.