Suppression of collagen arthritis in rats by heterologous anti-idiotypic antisera against anticollagen antibodies.

Affinity-purified rat anti-type II collagen antibodies were used to prepare anti-idiotypic antibodies in rabbits. It has been demonstrated that such anti-idiotypic antibodies are capable of binding to anti-type II collagen antibodies in vitro. Intravenous administration of heterologous anti-idiotypic antisera at the time of immunization with type II collagen resulted in a significant suppression of anti-type II collagen antibody formation and the development of arthritis, although delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test response to type II collagen was not affected. However, treatment of rats with heterologous anti-idiotypic antisera at Day 7 after immunization was ineffective in altering disease expression. On the other hand, treatment with heterologous anti-idiotypic antisera had no significant suppressive effect on the incidence or severity of adjuvant arthritis. These results indicate that the effect of heterologous anti-idiotypic antisera directed toward anti-type II collagen antibodies is disease specific and is restricted to collagen arthritis.