V-GENE AND C-GENE CONTRIBUTION IN CREATING ANTI-ALPHA-1,3 DEXTRAN ANTIBODIES IN MICE .1. CHARACTERISTICS OF IG-1AL PROTOTYPE RESPONSES

The light (L) and heavy (H) chain and the antigenic, idiotypic (Id) composition of the antibody (Ab) plaque‐forming cells (PFC) and serum Ab specific for α‐1, 3 dextran have been characterized in Ig‐lal BALB/c prototype mice, in Ig‐la− [30] mice, and in BALB/c congenic and recombinant strains. Four distinct Ab Id specificities were identified by using criteria of Id relatedness to three Id‐distinct, α‐1, 3 dextran‐binding BALB/c myeloma proteins (MP), all associated, in the Ig‐lal mice with the lambda (λ) chains: a major, common IdX in 40–90% of the molecules; three minor, individual IdI in 1–49% of the molecules; and a fifth, Id‐undefined one. These specificities were expressed at the PFC and serum level in the μ and γ isotypes. A minor, kappa (K), Id‐negative Ab was discerned only at the PFC level. The Ig‐la− CBA and C3H mice responded with anti‐α‐1, 3 dextran, K Id‐negative Ab. The BALB/c, congenic strain CB20 (BALB/c Ig‐lb, carrying the C57BI/Ka, Ig‐lb variable H (VH) gene complement and CH phenotype, made anti‐α‐1, 3 dextran K Id‐negative Ab of the Ig‐lb prototype. The recombinant BAB/14, carrying in the C57Bl/Ka CH‐Ig‐lb phenotype the BALB/c Ig‐lal VH gene(s) controlling anti‐α‐1, 3 dextran λ Ab responsiveness and Id specificity (VH‐DEX+), express the BALB/c λId repertoire. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved