title: The IgE antibody response to the phosphorylcholine hapten.
abstract: The immune response to the phosphorylcholine (PC) hapten elicited by PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) is composed of 2 groups of antibodies with specificity to either PC or phenylphosphorylcholine which were designated as group I and II anti-PC antibodies, respectively. We demonstrate that anti-PC IgE antibody expression is restricted to group II antibodies and does not display the T15 idiotype. Accordingly anti-PC IgE antibodies recognize the same epitope (PC-phenyl) as IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies which is different from that (PC) recognized by IgM and IgG3 antibodies. A monoclonal anti-PC IgE antibody, representing group II characteristics was established. From amino acid sequences of light chains of purified group I and II antibodies from serum as well as of monoclonal representatives thereof it appears that both populations are relatively homogenous and represent independent clonal expressions. Nevertheless the formation of anti-PC IgE antibodies in mice can be suppressed by isologous anti-T15 anti-idiotypic antiserum. This antiserum, however, crossreacts with different anti-PC antibodies including monoclonal group II anti-PC IgE antibodies and is composed of a large number of anti-idiotopes. An analyses performed with monoclonal anti-T15 idiotopes demonstrates that some but not all antibodies suppress the formation of anti-PC IgE. We conclude that syngeneically induced anti-idiotypic interactions may display regulation of a wide range of specificities affecting responses to various antigenic determinants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blaser
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Heusser
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000032:analysis; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006241:Haptens; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006433:Hemocyanins; D002794:Choline