10] Antiidiotypic antibodies

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of antiidiotypic antibodies. Idiotypy is the variation among the variable regions of different immunoglobulins. Such differences can be detected by amino acid sequence analysis, peptide mapping, isoelectric focusing, differences in antibody specificity, or reactivity with antisera directed against different antibody variable region determinants. Antigenic determinants associated with the variable regions of different antibodies are referred to as idiotypic determinants and antibodies that recognize them are referred to as antiidiotypic antibodies. An idiotypic determinant detected by a single hybridoma antiidiotypic antibody is said to be an idiotope. The constellation of idiotopes detected by the various antiidiotypic antibodies of a single idiotypic serum, by a group of different antiidiotypic sera, or by a group of hybridoma antiidiotypic antibodies is the idiotype of the antibody under study. The chapter describes the preparation of antiidiotypic sera. It also explains the immunoassays developed for using antiidiotypic sera to characterize the idiotypes of myeloma proteins, hybridoma antibodies, and antibodies in immune sera. Lastly, describes the methods that are developed for use with hybridoma antiidiotypic antibodies.