Potential role of anti-idiotype antibodies in active tumor immunotherapy

Mimicry of the Hodgkin-associated IRAC antigen by an anti-idiotype network: potential use in active immunotherapy of Hodgkin's lymphoma

The murine monoclonal antibody anti-IRac, defining a surface-antigen structure (MW 70 kDa) on Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg and interdigitating reticulum cells, was used to generate a cascade of anti-idiotypic antibodies as well as a cellular immunity against Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells in syngeneic BALB/c-mice. The anti-idiotypic antibody monoclonal antibody 4B4 demonstrated characteristics of an "internal image" or network antibody (Ab2 beta). Ab2 beta 4B4 bound specifically to anti-IRac and inhibited anti-IRac-binding to antigen-bearing cells effectively. 4B4 induced an IRac-specific humoral polyclonal immune response in BALB/c-mice and New Zealand white rabbits as judged by Flow cytometric and histochemical analysis. Moreover, BALB/c-mice immunized with 4B4 showed statistically significant (p > 0.01) delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction against IRac-expressing Hodgkin cell-lines. Ab2 beta 4B4 induced in syngeneic BALB/c mice a monoclonal anti-anti-idiotypic antibody (Ab3) termed 3G10, which mimicked the specificities of Ab1 anti-IRac and thus confirms the internal image nature of Ab2 beta 4B4. The anti-idiotype-induced tumor cell specific T- and B-cell mediated immune response even across species barriers via the Hodgkin related IRac-antigen may play an important part in active specific immunotherapy of Hodgkin's disease.

Anti-idiotype vaccine against Hodgkin's lymphoma: induction of B- and T-cell immunity across species barriers against CD30 antigen by murine monoclonal internal image antibodies

Murine monoclonal antibody HRS-4 (Ab1), which defines the cell-bound and soluble CD30 antigen associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma, was used to generate monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab2) in syngeneic BALB/c mice. Murine monoclonal Ab2 14G9 and Ab2 9G10 directed against HRS-4 were shown to be anti-idiotypic Ab2 beta carrying the internal image of the CD30 antigen. These antibodies bound specifically to HRS-4 and effectively inhibited binding of HRS-4 to a CD30 antigen preparation at concentrations as low as 50 ng/ml. KLH-coupled Ab2 beta 14G9 and 9G10 induced in BALB/c mice and New Zealand white rabbits a specific polyclonal humoral response against the 120 kDa band of the CD30 antigen. Moreover, BALB/c mice immunized i.p. with KLH-coupled 14G9 and 9G10 exhibited a statistically significant (p less than 0.01) delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction against CD30 expressing Hodgkin-derived L540-cells. We conclude from these data that Ab2 beta 14G9 and 9G10, mimicking structures of the nominal CD30 antigen, are capable of inducing a CD30-specific T-cell- and B-cell-mediated immune response in mice and even across species barriers in rabbits. These CD30 anti-id antibodies may hold promise for use as vaccines against CD30-antigen-expressing lymphomas.

Tumor-antigen-specific humoral immune response of animals to anti-idiotypic antibodies and comparative serological analysis of patients with small-cell lung carcinoma

We have previously developed 3 monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab2) of LOU rat origin directed against the binding site of the murine monoclonal IgM LAM8, which recognizes the small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC)-associated sialoglycoprotein antigen sGP 90-135. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiencies of these 3 Ab2, designated LY8-229, LX8-531 and LX8-632, to induce antigen-specific immunity in different animal species without prior exposure of the recipients to the nominal antigen, and thereby possibly select an Ab2 candidate for active immunotherapy against SCLC in patients. The feasibility of this approach was further evaluated by a serological analysis of patients with SCLC compared with healthy individuals, in whom the spontaneous antibody reactivities against SCLC cell lines and Ab2 were tested. LY8-229 was shown to be the most effective Ab2 in inducing antigen-specific antibodies in BALB/c mice, CBA/J/Zur mice and one NZW rabbit. Furthermore, LY8-229 was the only Ab2 against which significantly elevated idiotype-specific antibody reactivities existed in sera of patients with SCLC. These reactivities correlated positively with binding to antigen-positive tumor cells. Our findings suggest that LY8-229 represents in its reactivity pattern the nominal SCLC antigen in humans also, and therefore may be of diagnostic and possibly therapeutic relevance for patients with SCLC.