Anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody (mAb) to anti-CD4 mAb as surrogate of human CD4 antigen (Ag) for active immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases

Abstract

The hybridoma technology has facilitated the development and characterization of anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) monoclonal antibodies (mAb2) to monoclonal antibodies (mAb) recognizing CD4. CD4 is one of the most important T-cell molecules involved in antigen (Ag)-specific T-cell maturation, recognition, and activation. The availability of mAb2 to anti-CD4 mAb has overcome the practical difficulties in obtaining Ab with a well-defined specificity from conventional antisera, thus, facilitating analysis of the molecular interactions between CD4 and its putative ligands. Furthermore, because of the important role of CD4 in the immune response, mAb2 to anti-CD4 can be used to develop a novel form of immunotherapy. This chapter reviews the role of CD4 Ag in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and the rationale for the use of mAb2 antibodies (Ab) to anti-CD4 Ab in their treatment. It describes the production, immunochemical, and functional characterization of three B ALB/c mouse-derived mAb2 elicited with the syngeneic anti-CD4 mAb HP2/6. It also summarizes the results of preliminary studies performed in two patients with autoimmune diseases immunized with mAb2 16D7 elicited with the anti-CD4 mAb.