Suppression of antiviral responses by antibody-dependent enhancement of macrophage infection.

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of macrophage and monocyte infection has been demonstrated in vitro for some of the most deadly RNA viruses known. Recent evidence suggests that ADE-mediated ligation of Fc receptors might suppress host-cell antiviral gene expression by promoting early interleukin-10 (IL-10) secretion, resulting in the expression of suppressor-of-cytokine-signalling (SOCS) proteins and a Th2 bias. These findings provide potential new insights into how ADE might enhance viral infections and exacerbate disease.