A spontaneous hybridoma producing autoanti-idiotypic antibodies that recognize a V kappa-associated idiotope in mercury-induced autoimmunity.
Anti-idiotypic (Id) antibodies have been suggested to play a role in the self regulation process observed in Brown-Norway rats developing mercury-induced autoimmunity. However, the presence of such antibodies has not yet been directly demonstrated. For that purpose, spleen cells from a mercury-injected rat were fused and the resulting hybridomas tested for their anti-Id activity against monoclonal anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies produced in this model. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) was obtained that specifically reacted in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with an anti-GBM mAb and to a much lesser extent with another one produced in the same fusion. In Western blot experiments this autoanti-Id mAb reacted under reducing conditions with the kappa L chains but not with the H chains of the two anti-GBM mAb. It did not react with the kappa L chains of eight other rat mAb. This mAb is therefore an autoanti-Id mAb that recognizes a V kappa-associated Id expressed on two anti-GBM mAb. These results demonstrate that anti-GBM antibodies and their corresponding autoanti-Id antibodies are simultaneously produced during this disease. Whether or not these autoanti-Id antibodies have a regulatory and/or a pathogenic role in this disease remains to be established.
Guéry
J C
JC
INSERM U 28, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France.
Druet
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D008627:Mercuric Chloride