Impact of cellular proteases on the function of antiviral antibodies

Viruses evade antibodies through many mechanisms. While mutation remains the predominant pathway, host proteases can be hijacked upon viral infections and decrease antibody-mediated clearance. Proteolysis can degrade or shed viral antigens to create soluble decoys, induce conformational changes that reduce neutralization, and cleave Fc receptors and complement proteins, hindering Fc-effector antibody functions. This review synthesizes evidence on the interplay between viruses and host proteases to evade antiviral activities of antibodies.