Reexpression of a T15 idiotope on variant immunoglobulins after the binding of another anti-idiotopic antibody.

The phosphorylcholine (PC)-binding myeloma protein TEPC15 (T15) contains several distinct idiotopic determinants that are detectable with monoclonal anti-idiotopic antibodies. This study focuses on one of these anti-idiotopes, designated B24-44, which binds to a site near the T15 paratope. Another anti-idiotope, B36-82, recognizes an idiotope that is distant from the paratope. Two PC-binding immunoglobulins, 7-22 and 140.7C6, that differ from T15 by one to three amino acids have selectively lost their reactivity with the anti-idiotope, B36-82. However, the B36-82 binding was restored when B24-44 was first allowed to react with these immunoglobulins. The binding of B24-44 as well as the restoration of the B36-82 site was specifically inhibited by PC-protein conjugates. Competition experiments suggested that the newly induced B36-82 determinant is in the same location as the B36-82 binding site on T15. These data indicate that the binding of anti-idiotopic determinants to an immunoglobulin can alter the protein structure and create new determinants.