Idiotypic/antiidiotypic interactions in systemic lupus erythematosus: demonstration of oscillating levels of anti-DNA autoantibodies and reciprocal antiidiotypic activity in a single patient.
This work was designed to investigate the occurrence and evolution of autoantiidiotypic antibodies to double-stranded DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Serum samples from a patient with SLE who was submitted to repeated therapeutic plasmapheresis for 57 weeks were examined for the presence of autoantiidiotypic antibodies to DNA. Anti-DNA antibodies were affinity-purified from a serum sample obtained at the beginning of the observation period. Anti-anti-DNA activity, directed toward structures within the binding site of anti-DNA autoantibodies but not antibodies of another specificity, was detected in the serum of the patient. In addition, the decrease in the levels of anti-DNA antibodies took place concomitantly with a reciprocal increase in the autologous anti-idiotype. These results indicate that anti-DNA and anti-anti-DNA antibodies coexist in the serum of this patient, and suggest that antiidiotypic interactions may play a role in the modulation of idiotypic expression in SLE.
D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011817:Rabbits; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000032:analysis; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000502:physiology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; C028728:tetanus toxin receptor; D004247:DNA; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor