title: Suppression of immune response to Lol pI by administration of idiotype.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic diseases are characterized by an increased production of specific IgE antibodies. Suppression of IgE antibody production may be accomplished through idiotypic manipulation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Using an animal model, we explored the effects of anti-Lol pI monoclonal antibody administration on the subsequent IgE and IgG antibody response against Lol pI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were treated with an anti-Lol pI monoclonal antibody (290A-167), which resulted in the production of anti-idiotypic antibodies as evidenced by their ability to bind to the Fab fraction of 290A-167 and to inhibit the binding of rabbit polyclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies to 290A-167. The animals were then immunized with Lol pI adsorbed onto alum, and the immune response to the protein was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antigen-specific IgG1 and IgE responses were strongly suppressed as determined by immunoassay. Suppression of anti-Lol pI IgE antibodies was confirmed by a reduction of end-point titers measured by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. The suppression of antigen-specific antibody was accompanied by a reduction of anti-Lol pI antibody-producing spleen cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that pretreatment with 290A-167 can strongly downregulate the IgE response to the main allergen of ryegrass pollen, which is associated with an increase in anti-idiotypic antibodies. This approach could provide rapid, long-term hyposensitization in patients with grass pollen allergy.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Immunologie et Rhumatologie, Université Laval, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boutin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hébert
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C042814:Lol p I protein, Lolium perenne; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E