Selective idiotype suppression of an adoptive secondary antiacetylcholine receptor antibody response by immunotoxin treatment before transfer.

Acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-immune lymph node cells were treated with Id-specific immunotoxin before their transfer and antigenic challenge in adoptive recipient rats. In contrast to untreated, AChR-immune lymph node cells that, when challenged, produced high titers of serum anti-AChR antibody, in vitro anti-Id-ricin A chain treatment significantly inhibited anti-AChR antibody responses upon adoptive transfer. The inhibition was specific in that control lymph node cells immune to keyhole limpet hemocyanin were unaffected and totally responsive after treatment by the same immunotoxin. Furthermore, evidence is presented by isoelectric focusing analysis that the anti-Id antibody preparation used in this study contains all of the specificities required to eliminate the entire spectrum of AChR-reactive B cell clones.