title: Idiotypes of anti-major histocompatibility complex antibodies.
abstract: Our studies to date indicate that treatment with anti-idiotype to monoclonal anti-MHC antibodies can markedly influence the repertoire of anti-MHC antibodies expressed. The antibodies discussed here appear to represent two classes, one of which is public, probably representing expression of a germ line gene, and the second of which probably represents either a somatic variant of a germ line gene or one of a very large number of germ line genes devoted to the same specificity. In either case, this class of idiotype arises only rarely following antigen, but is readily induced by anti-idiotype treatment. There may indeed exist a third class of anti-MHC monoclonal antibodies representing distant somatic diversification from a germ line gene. Our only indication of this so far is that certain idiotypes are only induced after multiple boosts with anti-idiotypes rather than a single treatment. This finding, however, may reflect again the enormous number of different ways in which anti-MHC antibodies to the same nominal specificity can be produced. Finally, our results in adoptive transfer systems indicate that manipulation of idiotype expression by anti-idiotype treatment probably involves a complex pathway of cellular interactions. If, as we expect, these intercellular interactions involve idiotype and/or anti-idiotypic receptors, they should provide a model for mechanistic studies of the in vivo immune network.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes