Monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies regulate the expression of virus-induced murine myocarditis.

A monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody (anti-Id), produced by electrofusion and designated anti-Id88, was able to modulate expression of murine autoimmune myocarditis mediated by coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). The anti-Id was characterized as an immunoglobulin G2b species possessing kappa light chains and was able to reduce expression of inflammatory myocarditis in anti-Id-pretreated mice challenged with CVB3. Anti-Id88 was able to stimulate specific cell-mediated immunity against anti-Id88, as well as CVB3, and exerted a suppressive effect on the proliferation of mixed spleen cell populations from virus-exposed mice. Anti-Id stimulated an anti-anti-Id antibody 3 population able to bind antibody 2 F(ab')2 fragments or virus antigen in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis of anti-Id88 exhibited binding of syngeneic anti-Id antibody to idiotypes present on immunoglobulin G molecules from virus-immunized mice.