Effect of Anti-idiotype Antibody on Anti-DNA Antibody Production by Hybridoma Cells

Abstract

Anti-idiotype antibody (anti-id Ab) which recognizes idiotope in the variable region of immunoglobulin (Ig) can regulate Ab production by B cells in vivo and in vitro.

Although it has been reported that anti-id Ab can suppress IgM production by

lymphocytes or hybridoma cells without suppression of cell proliferation, the regulatory mechanism of anti-id Ab is not completely understood.

We studied the effects of anti-id Ab on the production of IgG class anti-DNA Ab by

hybridoma cells, on the proliferation of cells, and on the transcription levels of Ig genes.

In contrast to suppressive effect of anti-id Ab on the production of IgM previously

reported by others, stimulatory effects of anti-id Ab on the production of IgG by

hybridoma cells as well as the proliferation of these cells were observed. However, little effect of anti-id Ab on the transcription levels of Ig genes was observed.

These results suggest that anti-id Ab can increase Ab production by stimulation of

cell proliferation. Furthermore, these results suggest that the effect of anti-id Ab on the

production of Ab may be determined by the difference in class of Ab produced by

hybridoma cells following the treatment with anti-id Ab.