Regulation of naturally occurring autoantibody-producing cells: detection of a suppressive substance which inhibits the secretion of antibodies directed against enzyme-treated isologous erythrocytes.
Normal mice possess spleen cells capable of forming hemolytic plaques against bromelain-treated autologous red cells (Br MRBC). There is present in the serum of these same mice a substance which can inhibit the formation of these plaques. This substance is inhibitory to the secretion of these antibodies following incubation of spleen cells in 20% serum at 4 degrees C for 5 min. This substance is not inhibitory to the formation of anti-sheep erythrocyte plaques from mice either immunized or nonimmunized with sheep erythrocytes. Characterization of the substance indicates that it is neither soluble antigen nor specific antibody. However, inclusion of nanogram amounts of soluble antigen from bromelain-treated red cells in the assay mixture effectively neutralized the suppression. In addition, passage of serum through a mouse anti-Br MRBC antibody immunoadsorbent effectively removed the suppressive activity of the serum while suppression could be recovered in the acid eluate from such a column. This suggests that the mechanism of suppression brought about by incubation in serum is due to the action of a molecule possessing anti-idiotypic activity directed against the cell surface receptors of anti-Br MRBC B cells. Attempts to isolate the molecule based on the postulate that it is immunoglobulin in nature have been unsuccessful.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001963:Bromelains / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H
D000906:Antibodies; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000941:Antigens; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001963:Bromelains