Selective in vitro inhibition of an antibody response to purified acetylcholine receptor by using anti-idiotypic antibodies coupled to the A chain of ricin.
In vitro antibody responses by rat lymph node cells against purified acetylcholine receptor (AChR) were shown to be inhibitable by protein conjugates prepared with anti-idiotypic antibody and the toxic A chain of ricin. The idiotype specificity of the cytotoxicity was demonstrated by the inability of the same immunotoxin to inhibit an unrelated antibody response (anti-KLH) and by abrogation of specific toxicity in the presence of unconjugated anti-idiotype or antigen (AChR). Furthermore, immunotoxin prepared with an irrelevant antibody specificity failed to significantly inhibit either the anti-AChR or control antibody responses. Therefore, we suggest that idiotype-specific immunotoxins may be a useful addition or alternative to presently employed immunotherapies for autoimmune disease.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*; D012276:Ricin / Q000008:administration & dosage
D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D012276:Ricin