Pathogens (Aug 2023)

In Vitro Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Could Be Abolished by Adding Human IgG

  • Xun Wang,
  • Minghui Li,
  • Panpan Lu,
  • Chen Li,
  • Chaoyue Zhao,
  • Xiaoyu Zhao,
  • Rui Qiao,
  • Yuchen Cui,
  • Yanjia Chen,
  • Jiayan Li,
  • Guonan Cai,
  • Pengfei Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091108
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 9
p. 1108

Abstract

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Evidence of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of other viruses has raised concerns about the safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and antibody therapeutics. In vitro studies have shown ADE of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we also found that vaccination/convalescent sera and some approved monoclonal antibodies can enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection of FcR-expressing B cells in vitro. However, the enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 infection can be prevented by blocking Fc–FcR interaction through the addition of human serum/IgG or the introduction of mutations in the Fc portion of the antibody. It should be noted that ADE activity observed on FcR-expressing cells in vitro may not necessarily reflect the situation in vivo; therefore, animal and clinical data should be included for ADE evaluation.

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