Idiotypic identity of antibodies to streptococcal carbohydrate in inbred mice

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Abstract
In this study antibodies to the streptococcal carbohydrate of inbred strains of mice were investigated for the occurrence of shared idiotypes. Strain A/J produced high serum levels of antibodies with limited heterogeneity‐ to Group A streptococcal carbohydrate. A homogeneous antibody from one A/J mouse was obtained by cloning the hyper immune spleen cells into irradiated recipient mice. Idiotypic antisera to this antibody were made in A/J mice and in guinea pigs. These idiotypic antisera cross‐reacted with antibodies to Group A carbohydrate from all A/J mice, but not with that of two other strains. The idiotypes of 4 out of 5 A/J antibodies were indistinguishable. The selective expression or exclusion of idiotypes in different inbred strains raises the question whether v‐genes are inherited as allelic sets that can segregate.

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