IMMUNOGLOBULINS WITH DIFFERENT SPECIFICITIES HAVE SIMILAR IDIOTYPES

Studies in mice on the association and expression of a specific VH marker (U10-173) with different Ig binding sites showed the following: (1) elevated U10-173 production could be induced by several structurally unrelated carbohydrate antigens, depending on the particular mouse strain chosen: (2) one such antigen, levan, stimulated CWB mice to produce large quantities ofanti-levan (1-3 mg ml) all of which was virtually U10-173+; and (3) unexpectedly, half of the levan-immunized mice produced ~2 × more U10-173 than anti-levan. The latter result confirms the original observations of Oudin and Cazenave showing antigen-dependent induction of specific Igs that fail to bind the immunizing antigen. Possible explanations are discussed. © 1979.