Autospecific and allospecific antibodies raised in allotype suppressed rabbits

Escape from b locus allotype suppression in the rabbit is mediated by IgM molecules bearing an allotope-restricted variant of kappa light chain

Rabbits homozygous for b6 at the kappa light chain b locus were suppressed for the expression of the b6 allotype and then induced to produce auto anti-b6 antibody. Rabbits which subsequently escaped suppression produced auto antibody with restricted allotype specificity. Escape from allotype suppression was mediated by IgM bearing a kappa chain variant with a restricted number of b6 allotopes and having a diminished interaction with auto anti-b6 antibodies from the same and other rabbits escaping b6 suppression. This suggested that there were allelic variants or subpopulations of the b6 light chain which were under independent regulation of expression, clearly influenced by the specificity of auto anti-allotype antibody. Since escape from suppression was mediated by IgM it is proposed that a normal pathway of B cell differentiation occurs during recovery from suppression.

Production of IgG-specific auto-anti-allotypes in b4.2-suppressed rabbits

Rabbits were completely suppressed for kappa chain allotype b4.2, and autoantibodies against b4.1 or b4.2 could be raised in 2 out of 3 animals. The animal immunized with b4.1 produced anti-b4 and anti-Ms3, two activities which have never as yet been found together in one antiserum. Both autoantisera lacked the capacity to bind b4.2-IgM, whereas they precipitated 4.2-IgG very well. In one animal, anti-b4 IgM activity appeared after the sixth immunization, at the age of 14 months. Allotype suppression was maintained in both rabbits till the end of their lives whereas all control animals recovered within 6 months. The autoantisera which were specific for b4 IgG could not induce suppression in vivo. However, specific inhibition of b4 IgG secretion was observed in vitro.

Allotypes in Basilea rabbits

Basilea rabbits produce immunoglobulin molecules, practically all of which have lambda light chains rather than kappa chains. This variant strain was derived form a homozygous (b9/b9) male. Sensitive serological methods revealed that at least some homozygous bas/bas individuals possess traces (about 100 ng/ml) of b9 molecules. This level usually increases to almost 1 microgram/ml upon hyperimmunization with pneumococcal or streptococcal vaccines. One exceptional rabbit, with 50 micrograms/ml of b9 molecules, was found. In spite of the presence of b9 molecules in early pre-immune bleeds, homozygous bas/bas rabbits produce strong anti-b9 antibodies; i.e., they are capable of making autoantibodies. These anti-b9 allotypic antisera were not distinguishable by our methods from routinely produced anti-b9.

Induction of lymphoid cell chimerism in noninbred, histocompatible rabbits. A new model for studying allotype suppression in the rabbit

Noninbred rabbits, matched with regard to the major histocompatibility complex (RLA-A and RLA-D loci) but mismatched for Ig allotypes, served as donors (adult) and recipients (newborn) of lymphoid cells. Lasting chimerism regularly followed the transfer of 1 x 10(8)-3 x 10(8) spleen, lymph node, or bone marrow cells, as indicated by the continued production of Ig with allotypic determinants of both donor and recipient. Typically, Ig of donor allotype accounted for 25-50% of total allotypic Ig at 4 wk of age and the amount of donor Ig produced remained stable for up to 20 mo. Total allotypic Ig levels remained normal in the chimeric rabbits. "Chimeric drift" or a gradual diminution of donor products over a period of several months, occurred in some individuals. Transfer of lymphoid cells from allotype-suppressed adult donors to newborns of appropriate allotypes did not result in specific suppression of the target allotype in the recipients. Other experiments showed that lymphoid cells from suppressed donors adoptively transferred to histocompatible recipients continued to synthesize Ig of the nonsuppressed type only. The suitability of using an outbred population of histocompatible but allotype-mismatched rabbits for analyzing allotype suppression and other immunoregulatory phenomena is demonstrated by the results presented here.

Isolation and characterization of a mouse-rabbit hybridoma

Immunoglobulin was obtained from a hybridoma cell line, which was a reclone of a hybrid between a rabbit cell and mouse myeloma cell (X63-Ag8). The immunoglobulin, isolated from the cell culture medium was found to be homogeneous by isoelectrofocusing and immunoelectrophoresis and consisted of mouse heavy and rabbit light chains, linked by disulphide bonds. All immunoglobulin molecules carried both mouse and rabbit determinants; mouse determinants were associated only with the heavy chains while rabbit determinants were only associated with the light chains. The rabbit light chains were of Ab4 allotypical specificity, but possess only some of the Ab4 determinants normally present in Ab4/Ab4 animals. It was suggested that the restriction in allotypical specificity may be a general property of light chain Ab allotypes; the normal serum immunoglobulins may be heterogeneous with respect to the allotypic determinants and any one molecule may possess only a proportion of determinants detected by a conventional anti-allotype antiserum.