Antibody fucosylation predicts disease severity in secondary dengue infection

Abstract

Although antiviral antibodies generally confer protective functions, antibodies against dengue virus (DENV) are associated with enhanced disease susceptibility. Antibodies can mediate DENV infection of leukocytes via Fcγ receptors, likely contributing to dengue disease pathogenesis. To determine if this mechanism accounts for variable disease severity, we examined Fab and Fc structures of anti-DENV antibodies from patients before and after infection and with variable disease outcomes. Neither antibody titers nor neutralizing activity correlated with disease severity in DENV-infected populations. Rather, DENV infection induced a specific increase in immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) afucosylation, and the levels of afucosylated IgG1 were predictive of dengue disease severity. Thus, the IgG1 fucosylation status represents a robust prognostic tool for dengue disease, highlighting the key role of the Fc glycan structure in dengue pathogenesis.