Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

The antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), also referred to as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, is a mechanism of cell-mediated immune defense whereby an effector cell of the immune system actively lyses a target cell, whose membrane-surface antigens have been bound by specific antibodies. It is one of the mechanisms through which antibodies, as part of the humoral immune response, can act to limit and contain infection.

ADCC is independent of the immune complement system that also lyses targets but does not require any other cell. ADCC requires an effector cell which classically is known to be natural killer (NK) cells that typically interact with IgG antibodies. However, macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils can also mediate ADCC, such as eosinophils killing certain parasitic worms known as helminths via IgE antibodies.

ADCC is part of the adaptive immune response due to its dependence on a prior antibody response. The coating of target cells with antibodies is sometimes referred to as opsonization.

The typical ADCC involves activation of NK cells by antibodies. A NK cell expresses Fc receptors, mostly CD16. These receptors recognize, and bind to, the Fc portion of an antibody, such as IgG, which has bound to the surface of a pathogen-infected target cell. The most common Fc receptor on the surface of an NK cell is called CD16 or FcγRIII. Once the Fc receptor binds to the Fc region of IgG, the Natural Killer cell releases cytokines such as IFN-γ

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