Genetics of the induction of antigen-specific immunity in anti-idiotype-treated mice and derivation of monoclonal Ab3 antibodies

Antiidiotypic antibodies can be used as a means other than antigen of clone-specific intervention in the immune system. In a number of cases, antiidiotypic antibodies induce potent, antigen-specific responses without exposure of the recipient animals to antigen, and a better understanding of such responses will aid in the application of idiotype manipulation to both immunological and practical problems. The Ia.7 system expresses a major, cross-reactive idiotype on antibodies to an epitope of the mouse I-E antigen. Here, we examine genetic control of the I-E-specific response to anti-idiotype in this model system. Results demonstrate that both heavy chain allotype-linked and non-allotype-linked loci contribute to the control of this response. In addition, monoclonal antibodies representing the non-antigen-specific portion of the Ab3 response were derived. Two idiotype-positive clones were demonstrated to be of IgM isotype, contrasting with previous data showing that the serum Ab3 response is predominantly IgG1.