Antitestfügg

Antitestfügg is a term used in immunology to describe biological processes whose outcomes depend on the presence and properties of antibodies targeting a specific antigen. The word combines antitest (antibody) and függ (dependent), and in Hungarian-language literature it serves as a concise descriptor for antibody-dependent mechanisms that influence the behavior of pathogens, cells, or immune signaling.

Mechanistically, antibodies can neutralize pathogens by blocking entry or replication. They can also recruit other immune cells through Fc receptors, promoting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). Complement activation can be triggered by antibody binding, contributing to pathogen clearance. The term thus covers a range of processes where antibodies are essential determinants of the outcome, as distinct from antibody-independent immunity.

A well-known related phenomenon is antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), in which antibodies at certain concentrations or specificities enhance infection rather than prevent it. This has implications for vaccine design, serological testing, and therapy in diseases such as dengue and certain coronaviruses.

Notes: while antitestfügg appears mainly in Hungarian texts, English-language literature generally uses "antibody-dependent" or more specific phrases like "antibody-dependent enhancement" (ADE), "antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity" (ADCC), or "antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis" (ADCP). See also: ADE, ADCC, ADCP, Fc receptors.