Production and characterisation of monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody to Vibrio anguillarum

Seven monoclonal anti-idiotype antibodies (mab(2)) were raised against mouse monoclonal antibody (mab(1)) 4A6. Identification of subclass showed that 1H5, ID1, 2B12 and 2F12 belonged to IgG(2b), 2H12 and 1H12 to IgG(2a) and 1E10 to IgG(3). The titres of these mab(2) ascitic fluids ranged from 1 x 10(-4)-1 X 10(-6). The capacity of the mab(2) to inhibit the binding between the corresponding rabbit antiserum and Vibrio anguillarum was investigated with the competitive inhibition ELISA. The results showed that mab(2) 1D1, 1E10, 1H5 and 1H12 were able to inhibit this binding. Another experiment demonstrated that mab(2) 1D1, 1E10 and 1H5 might induce Balb/c mice to produce Ab(3) and these Ab(3) competed the same antigen epitopes with Ab(1). These results indicate that mab(2) 1D1, 1E10 and 1H5 are likely to represent an internal image of V. anguillarum and may thus be described as Ab(2)-beta anti-idiotype antibodies. In protection experiments, Japanese flounders vaccinated with mab(2)1D1, 1E10 and 1H5 showed significantly enhanced survival from challenge with V. anguillarum. Thus, mab(2),1D1, 1E10 and 1H5 may have use as idiotype vaccines for fish in aquaculture. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.