Antibody-dependent enhancement (
ADE) occurs when non-neutralising
antiviral proteins facilitate
virus entry into
host cells, leading to increased
infectivity in the cells. Some cells do not have the usual
receptors on their surfaces that viruses use to gain entry. The antiviral proteins (i.e., the
antibodies) bind to antibody
Fc receptors that some of these cells have in the
plasma membrane. The viruses bind to the antigen binding site at the other end of the antibody. ADE is common in cells cultured in the laboratory, but rarely occurs
in vivo except for
dengue virus. This virus can use this mechanism to infect human
macrophages, causing a normally mild viral infection to become life-threatening.