Antibodies elicited by pneumococcal antigens bear an anti-DNA--associated idiotype.
There is evidence in both murine and human lupus that the production of anti-DNA antibodies may be triggered by environmental antigens. To explore this further, we studied the serum of 10 nonautoimmune individuals immunized with a polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. All 10 patients showed a rise in the titer of antipneumococcal antibodies bearing an anti-DNA-associated idiotype. The antipneumococcal response was specific as no idiotypic antitetanus antibodies were detected. Furthermore, no anti-DNA antibodies were present in postvaccination sera. The molecular analysis of antipneumococcal and anti-DNA antibodies bearing a common idiotype will help elucidate how foreign antigen might lead to the production of anti-DNA antibodies in susceptible individuals.
Grayzel
A
A
Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461.
Solomon
A
A
Aranow
C
C
Diamond
B
B
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid