Cross-reactive idiotypes and common antigen binding specificities expressed by a series of murine B-cell lymphomas: etiological implications.

A series of 27 B-cell lymphomas (designated the CH series), induced in B10.H-2aH-4b p/Wts mice by intense adoptive immunization with sheep erythrocytes, was found to represent a subset of the total B-cell repertoire. This subset was characterized by expression of a limited number of Ig heavy chain variable regions, as evidenced by the presence of cross-reactive idiotypes and common antigen binding specificities. Twenty-one of the 27 CH lymphomas studied were classified into five groups, defined by a particular cross-reactive idiotype; four of these groups were linked in a single network. Seven of 16 idiotypes defined by absorption analysis were present on lymphomas bearing either kappa or lambda light chains and so were localized to the heavy chain variable region. The surface Ig on 14 CH lymphomas was found to be specific for epitopes on certain erythrocytes (bromelain-treated autologous erythrocytes, sheep, and chicken erythrocytes) or E. coli. We propose that the CH lymphomas represent the malignant counterparts of a subset of idiotypically related, normal B cells in B10.H-2aH-4b p/Wts mice. Perturbation of this idiotype network, by hyperimmunization with an antigen for which some of the members are specific (sheep erythrocytes), increases the risk for neoplasia. Possible mechanisms for this are discussed.