Deciphering Fc-effector functions against SARS-CoV-2

Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières; Andrés Finzi

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2024.01.005

Deciphering Fc-effector functions against SARS-CoV-2

Trends Microbiol. 2024 Feb 15:S0966-842X(24)00005-2. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.01.005. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières¹, Andrés Finzi²

Affiliations

¹ Centre de recherche du CHUM, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada.
² Centre de recherche du CHUM, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada. Electronic address: andres.finzi@umontreal.ca.

PMID: 38365562
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.01.005

Abstract

Major efforts were deployed to study the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. Antibodies neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 have been extensively studied in the context of infections, vaccinations, and breakthrough infections. Antibodies, however, are pleiotropic proteins that have many functions in addition to neutralization. These include Fc-effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). Although important to combat viral infections, these Fc-effector functions were less studied in the context of SARS-CoV-2 compared with binding and neutralization. This is partly due to the difficulty in developing reliable assays to measure Fc-effector functions compared to antibody binding and neutralization. Multiple assays have now been developed and can be used to measure different Fc-effector functions. Here, we review these assays and what is known regarding anti-SARS-CoV-2 Fc-effector functions. Overall, this review summarizes and updates our current state of knowledge regarding anti-SARS-CoV-2 Fc-effector functions.

Keywords: ADCC; ADCP; Fc-effector functions; SARS-CoV-2; antibody.

Publication types

Review