Antibody-dependent enhancement of coronavirus

Highlights

• Five mechanisms of antibody-dependent enhancement have been discussed to date, with the most frequent effect being related to FcγR.

• Antibody-dependent enhancement has been discovered in both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, but the mechanism is not completely clear; different studies have led to different opinions.

• Many scientist have mentioned the potential existence of antibody-dependent enhancement in the 2019 novel coronavirus – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

• The most recent studies on both convalescent plasma transmission and the application of inactivated vaccine did not report any case of antibody-dependent enhancement.

Abstract

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) exists in several kinds of virus. It has a negative influence on antibody therapy for viral infection. This effect was first identified in dengue virus and has since also been described for coronavirus. To date, the rapid spread of the newly emerged coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has affected over 3.8 million people across the globe. The novel coronavirus poses a great challenge and has caused a wave of panic. In this review, antibody-dependent enhancements in dengue virus and two kinds of coronavirus are summarized. Possible solutions for the effects are reported. We also speculate that ADE may exist in SARS-CoV-2.