The effect of immunization with anti-idiotypes on the production of autoantibodies subsequently induced with nominal antigen, thyroglobulin, was investigated in BALB/c mice with three distinct rabbit antibodies and one syngeneic monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for an idiotype (Id62) borne on a mouse monoclonal autoantibody to thyroglobulin. In these in vivo experiments, dose, route and form of the anti-idiotypic immunization were kept constant, but the time interval between exposure to anti-idiotype and antigen challenge was varied. When the interval was short (two weeks), heterologous anti-Id62 antibodies predisposed to suppression of the autoantibody response in 2/3 instances. Suppression was also obtained in mice immunized with a syngeneic mAb directed against Id62. In each case, a prominent idiotype-positive (Id') response was measured in the serum. Adsorption/elution studies indicated that Id' molecules in suppressed mice were principally non antigen-binding. On the other hand, when the time interval between injections was long (14 weeks), mice preimmunized with one rabbit anti-Id62 antibody showed a markedly increased autoantibody response. The Id' component in enhanced mice was largely enriched for antibodies reacting with the antigen. These findings suggest that the state of activation of autoreactive clones and the type of anti-idiotypes used may be determinant factors in the overall effect of manipulation of autoimmune responses with anti-idiotypic antibodies.
Animals Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic