title: Idiotypic vaccination: immunoprotection mediated by anti-idiotypic antibodies with antibiotic activity.
abstract: Anti-Id antibodies were raised in mice against a monoclonal antibody (MoAb KT4) that neutralized the in vitro activity of a Pichia anomala yeast killer toxin. Monoclonal antibody was administered to BALB/C syngeneic mice with different schedules of immunization before intravenous challenge with increasing amounts of yeast killer toxin-sensitive Candida albicans cells. The course of candidosis was studied in comparison with mice non-immunized and immunized with an isotype-matched unrelated MoAb subdivided into control groups. Protection was reflected by statistically significant increases in survival rate of mice immunized with MoAb KT4 which showed variable serum levels of yeast killer toxin-like anti-Id antibodies. MoAb KT4 affinity chromatography purified mouse anti-Id antibodies were capable of killing in vitro the yeast cells of the Candida albicans strain used for the experimental infection. This is the first report of antimicrobial protection that exploits the role of anti-idiotypic antibodies presumably acting in vivo as antibiotics (idiotypic vaccination).
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polonelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorenzini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Bernardis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerloni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Magliani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal