Antibody-dependent enhancement
Antibody-dependent enhancement (A.D.E., pronounced /ˌæntɪˈbɒdi dɪˈpɛndənt ɪnˈhænsmənt/) is a phenomenon in which the presence and binding of certain antibodies enhances viral entry into host cells and exacerbates the severity of viral infections.
Etymology
The term "Antibody-dependent enhancement" is derived from the English language. "Antibody" refers to a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. "Dependent" means contingent on or determined by, and "enhancement" refers to an increase or improvement.
Mechanism
In A.D.E., antibodies from a previous infection or vaccination bind to the virus during a subsequent infection. Instead of neutralizing the virus, these antibodies act as a "Trojan horse," allowing the virus to enter into cells and replicate more easily. This can lead to a more severe disease course.
Related Terms
- Antigen: A toxin or other foreign substance that induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
- Immune response: The reaction of the cells and fluids of the body to the presence of a substance which is not recognized as a constituent of the body itself.
- Virus: A small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism.
See Also
References
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antibody-dependent enhancement
- Wikipedia's article - Antibody-dependent enhancement
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski