ADCC Assay

Background: Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is a known cellular defense mechanism that employs the natural killer cells (NK) to recognize and exert cytotoxic functions on infected cells and tumors. Therapeutic antitumor monoclonal antibodies can be tested for their ADCC engagement potential. NK cells recognize and bind to the Fc portion of monoclonal antibodies (bound to target cell) and release cytotoxic granules and inflammatory cytokines that result in death of the bound target cell.  

Principle: Effector (NK) cells are cultured with target (cancer) cells in the presence of therapeutic antibody to induce ADCC. Observed endpoints for ADCC include phenotyping of effector cells with activation and degranulation markers, cytokine production and (lactate dehydrogenase) or cell death.

References

1. A guide to cancer immunotherapy: from T cell basic science to clinical practice | Nature Reviews Immunology. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-020-0306-5.

Related Assays:

• Apoptosis Assay
• Compliment Dependent Cytotoxicity
• CD8 Cytotoxicity
• CAR T-cell assays
• Tumor Killing assays