Idiotype anti-idiotype complexes in cerebrospinal fluids of multiple sclerosis patients.

The involvement of idiotype-anti-idiotype complexes in multiple sclerosis was approached by ultracentrifuge studies. Specimens of the immunoglobulin G fraction obtained from the cerebrospinal fluids of multiple sclerosis patients which contained distinct oligoclonal bands, were subjected to analytical ultracentrifugation. None of these samples revealed the presence of any detectable amount of oligomeric immunoglobulin G, namely dimer or trimer. By comparison with control mixtures containing known amounts of dimeric immunoglobulin, it was evaluated that the cerebrospinal fluid samples contain less than 5% dimer. These findings indicate that the spinal fluids of multiple sclerosis patients do not contain idiotype-anti-idiotype complexes to an extent that would account for the oligoclonal immunoglobulin bands as representing complementary idiotypes and anti-idiotypes.