Perturbation of the autoimmune network. II. Immunization with isologous idiotype induces auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies and suppresses the autoantibody response elicited by antigen: a serologic and cellular analysis.

We report on the humoral and cellular events following autologous immunization against an idiotype (Id62) borne on a murine monoclonal autoantibody to thyroglobulin, and their impact on the autoantibody response to thyroglobulin. BALB/c mice with a state of active auto-anti-idiotypic immunity and challenged with thyroglobulin in complete Freund's adjuvant 2 wk after the last immunization with idiotype were found to have a suppressed autoantibody response. This suppression could be adoptively transferred to syngeneic x-irradiated recipients by using whole spleen cells from idiotype-primed mice. Transfer of separate T and B lymphocyte populations proved instrumental in disecting humoral from cellular events and in establishing that whereas B cells were required for transferring an intact anti-idiotype antibody response, T cells from idiotype-primed mice were necessary to transfer suppression. These findings contribute to our understanding of the interrelationship between antigen, idiotype, and anti-idiotype in the immune response to self-antigens, and the role of certain idiotypes in regulating autoimmune responses.