Enhancement of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of herpesvirus-infected cells by complement.

An investigation was made of the effects of complement on the levels of antibody-dependence cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated by bovine leukocytes against herpesvirus-infected target cells. Neutrophil-mediated ADCC was considerably enhanced upon the addition of low levels of complement that alone failed to induce lysis of antibody-sensitized target cells. This enhancement was most apparent under suboptimum conditions such as at low effector-to-target cell ratios, low levels of sensitizing antiserum, and short-duration assays. Furthermore, cells and classes of immunoglobulin unable to induce ADCC could do so in the presence of complement. The action of complement is considered in terms of a more tenacious bond formed between effector and target cells. The implications of the results are discussed in terms of the part that complement might play in enhancing antiviral recovery processes.