title: Network connectivity is shown to change in C57BL/6 mice during a continuing immune response subsequent to tetanus toxoid hyperimmunization.
abstract: We have already demonstrated (Stojanovic et al., 2009) a connection between tetanus toxoid (TTd) hyperimmunization and the induction of anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) in BALB/c mice. Here we show that C57BL/6 mice subjected to an identical procedure do not exhibit any like pathology attributable to anti-phospholipid antibodies; we explain that this absence results from idiotypic connectivity. Six groups of C57BL/6 mice were hyperimmunized with TTd in aluminum hydroxide or glycerol, with or without pretreatments. Pretreated mice had been injected with polyclonal or nonspecific immune stimulators, such as complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or glycerol. The epitope specificity of induced antibodies was tested by indirect ELISA using a tetanus toxoid immunogen and these autoantigens: phospholipids, gangliosides, laminin. Idiotypic connectivity was tested by competitive ELISA and gauged from the degree to which the interaction of idiotypic/anti-idiotypic complementary antibodies was inhibited in the presence of immunized sera antibodies. Higher idiotypic connectivity was noted amongst pretreated mice. There was a positive correlation between higher connectivity and autoantibody levels that acted to favor the participation of natural autoantibodies in the inhibitory process. We conclude that idiotypic connectivity plays a protective role in immunization-induced autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera-Torlak, Vojvode Stepe 458, Belgrade, Serbia. z92irena@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Irena P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Zivkovic
authors.forename: Marijana M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
authors.forename: Vladimir Z
authors.initials: VZ
authors.lastname: Petrusic
authors.forename: Aleksandra B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Inic-Kanada
authors.forename: Mileva V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Micic
authors.forename: Ljiljana A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dimitrijevic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid