PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIIDIOTYPE ANTIBODIES WHICH MIMIC AN M-LIKE PROTEIN OF STREPTOCOCCUS-EQUI

Rat monoclonal anti-idiotype antibodies (mAb2) were raised against two mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb1), 1D10 and 2A6, with specificity fo r the M-like protein of Streptococcus equi. The capacity of the mAb2 t o inhibit the binding between the corresponding mouse mAb1 against whi ch the mAb2 were raised and the M-like protein was investigated in an inhibition EIA. One of the ten mAb2 examined, namely 5D1 (anti-mAb1 1D 10), was able to inhibit this binding. The mAb2 5D1 bound to the mAb1 1D10 in such a way as to completely inhibit the subsequent binding of the M-like protein antigen to the paratope of the mAb1 1D10. The mAb2 5D1 is likely to represent a true image of the M-like protein antigen and may thus be described as an Ab2beta anti-idiotype antibody.