Immunoglobulin heavy chain constant regions regulate immunity and tolerance to idiotypes of antibody variable regions

摘要

Particular syngeneic adjuvant-free monoclonal antibodies are im- munogenic and elicit antibody responses against the variable region idiotypes (Ids). We here study how heavy-chain constant regions (C_H) regulate immune responses to Ids of free, uncom- plexed monoclonal antibodies. To this end, we selected two hybridomas, called Id~3 and Id~A.01, that produce immunogenic IgMλ2 directed toward 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl, and subcloned rare IgG1, IgG3, IgE, or IgA class switch variants. The purified switch variants, which possessed the Ids of their IgM progenitors, were injected repeatedly without added adjuvant into BALB/c mice, and anti-Id IgG responses were determined.