Idiotypic manipulation in mice: BALB/c mice can express the crossreactive idiotype of A/J mice.
The response of A/J mice to arsonate-coupled keyhole limpet hemocyanin is characterized by a crossreactive idiotype (CRIA). CRIA+ antibodies are restricted to the Igh-Ic haplotype and are never expressed in BALB/c mice after immunization with antigen. Studies at the DNA level suggest that the gene encoding the CRIA heavy chain in A/J mice is probably absent in the genome of BALB/c mice. Despite this, using the immunization cascade tool, we have been able to induce the expression of CRIA+ antibodies in BALB/c mice. These studies led to an apparent paradox, whose understanding will provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of the immune system. We suggest that clones secreting CRIA-like Igs in BALB/c mice are "somatic variants" that could arise from gene conversion events.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D003429:Cross Reactions; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000276:immunology*; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes