IN-VITRO MODULATION OF ANTI-DNA SECRETING PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF LUPUS PATIENTS BY ANTIIDIOTYPIC ANTIBODY OF POOLED HUMAN INTRAVENOUS IMMUNE GLOBULIN

Anti-idiotypic antibody and its F(ab')2 fragments prepared from pooled normal human IgG had a partial inhibitory effect on the spontaneous i n vitro secretion of anti-DNA antibodies from blood mononuclear cells of lupus patients. The inhibitory effect was specific for anti-DNA sec retion as the anti-idiotype failed to inhibit the spontaneous secretio n of anti-tetanus toxoid in the same culture supernatants. Non-anti-DN A IgG or its F(ab')2 fragments from pooled normal human IgG had less i nhibitory effect on anti-DNA secretion than the purifieed anti-Id. In vitro polyclonal IgG secretion by lupus blood mononuclear cells was eq ually inhibited by both the anti-idiotype and the non-anti-DNA IgG of pooled normal human IgG. There was no correlation between the in vitro suppression of anti-DNA and that of total IgG or of anti-tetanus toxo id antibody. Pooled normal human IgG could have a potential beneficial effect in the therapy of systemic lupus erythematosus by inhibiting a nti-DNA production via an anti-idiotypic mechanism.