Anti-idiotypic antisera raised against monoclonal antibody specific for a p24 gag region epitope detects a common interspecies idiotype associated with anti-HIV responses.
One potential strategy for the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is immune network manipulation using anti-idiotypic antibodies: this study was undertaken to demonstrate experimentally the potential of such an approach which, in a more highly evolved form, could be used for the treatment of the acquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS) and related disorders. Anti-idiotypic antibodies were generated in rabbits against a murine monoclonal antibody identifying an epitope on the p24 gag core protein of HIV. After extensive absorption on affinity columns to remove isotype- and allotype-specific antibodies, the purified anti-idiotypic antibody preparation was shown to have specific complementarity with the immunizing mouse monoclonal antibody. This anti-idiotypic antibody was also shown to recognize a common idiotype associated with HIV-specific antibodies from both humans and chimpanzees infected with the AIDS virus. In addition a group of rats immunized with the anti-Id responded with significant antibody titers to recombinant derived p24 gag. These data indicate that at least a subpopulation of these polyclonal anti-Id antibodies structurally mimics an HIV gag region epitope and suggest that immunoregulation by anti-idiotypic antibodies may have therapeutic utility for the AIDS epidemic.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
W J
WJ
Morrow
I
I
Gaston
T
T
Anderson
N
N
Haigwood
M S
MS
McGrath
J
J
Rosen
K S
KS
Steimer
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D014758:Viral Core Proteins