Both natural and induced murine anti-TNP antibodies possess anti-DNA activity.
Sera of BALB/c mice immunized with either trinitrophenyl (TNP) coupled to bovine serum albumin (TNP/BSA) and Freund's adjuvant or TNP/BSA and TNP coupled to mouse serum albumin (TNP/MSA) without adjuvant were tested for antibody activity against a panel of antigens: TNP/BSA, DNA, actin, myosin, tubulin and transferrin. Anti-DNA antibody activity in the serum increased significantly in immunized mice; this activity followed the increase in the anti-TNP titres. Sera from MRL/lpr/lpr autoimmune mice were also tested for antibody activity against a panel of antigens. Again, it was found that the level of the anti-TNP antibodies followed the level of anti-DNA antibodies. Purified antibodies isolated from both immunized BALB/c and MRL/lpr/lpr mice on a dinitrophenol(DNP)-lysine immunoadsorbent shared antibody activity against both TNP and DNA. The results obtained suggest that a single region in the antibody binding site is responsible for both anti-DNA and anti-TNP activities, that TNP-like groups may represent a "public epitope" carried by various antigens and that antibodies obtained after experimental immunization and antibodies appearing in autoimmunopathological situations apparently possess similar specificities.
Mahana
W
W
Unité d'Immunocytochimie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Matsiota
P
P
Avrameas
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007114:Immunization; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D004247:DNA