In vivo effects of antibodies against a high frequency idiotype of anti-DNA antibodies in MRL mice.

The in vivo effects of a rabbit antiserum against the dominant idiotype of MRL-lpr/lpr anti-DNA antibodies (termed H130) were studied in MRL-lpr/lpr, MRL/++, and BALB/c mice. Under the conditions we examined, the anti-idiotype did not suppress anti-DNA antibodies or the H130 idiotype in either MRL-lpr/lpr or MRL/++ mice. By contrast, MRL/++ and BALB/c mice responded to the antiserum by producing antibodies with the H130 idiotype. The increase in levels of the idiotype was accompanied by a rise in anti-DNA antibodies only when F(ab')2 fragments of the rabbit antiserum were administered. Only about 10% of the induced H130+ immunoglobulins were anti-DNA antibodies. An immunoregulatory disturbance in MRL-lpr/lpr mice may account for their resistance to anti-idiotypic antibodies. Treatment of autoimmune diseases with anti-idiotypes may have the undesired effect of augmenting the production of autoantibodies.