Autologous anti-idiotypic antibody response is regulated by the level of circulating complementary idiotype.

BALB/c mice injected with lyophilized vaccine from Streptococcus pneumoniae R36a (Pn) predominantly responded with antibody molecules the vast majority of which expressed the public idiotype T15 and were directed to the immunodominant epitope phosphorylcholine (PC). However, after a single immunization with Pn vaccine young (3-month-old) BALB/c mice did not produce any specific anti-T15 antibody response. In contrast, young D1.LP mice were able to mount a specific anti-T15 response upon primary immunization with pneumococcal vaccine. The anti-PC response in the two mouse strains differed in that the proportion of antibody molecules that expressed the T15 idiotype for Pn-primed D1.LP mice showed a smaller proportion of PC-specific antibody expressing the T15 idiotype. Neonatal injection of anti-T15 monoclonal antibodies led to a long-term suppression of the PC-specific T15+ B-cell clones but at young/adult age these mice maintained the ability to produce a normal amount of PC-specific antibody. Interestingly, the idiotypically-suppressed BALB/c mice mounted a significant anti-T15 response during the primary response to Pn. We interpreted these data as showing that the level of circulating idiotype may regulate the production of the complementary anti-idiotypic antibody. In addition, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the lack of the anti-T15 response during primary antibody response in BALB/c mice is probably because of a state of tolerance that is regulated by T cells.