Anti-idiotypic antisera raised against monoclonal antibody specific for a p24 gag region epitope detects a common interspecies idiotype associated with anti-HIV responses

One potential strategy for the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is immune network manipulation using anti-idiotypic antibodies: this study was undertaken to demonstrate experimentally the potential of such an approach which, in a more highly evolved form, could be used for the treatment of the acquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS) and related disorders. Anti-idiotypic antibodies were generated in rabbits against a murine monoclonal antibody identifying an epitope on the p24 gag core protein of HIV. After extensive absorption on affinity columns to remove isotype- and allotype-specific antibodies, the purified anti-idiotypic antibody preparation was shown to have specific complementarity with the immunizing mouse monoclonal antibody. This anti-idiotypic antibody was also shown to recognize a common idiotype associated with HIV-specific antibodies from both humans and chimpanzees infected with the AIDS virus. In addition a group of rats immunized with the anti-Id responded with significant antibody titers to recombinant derived p24 gag. These data indicate that at least a subpopulation of these polyclonal anti-Id antibodies structurally mimics an HIV gag region epitope and suggest that immunoregulation by anti-idiotypic antibodies may have therapeutic utility for the AIDS epidemic.