MHC Restriction of V-V Interactions in Serum IgG

Abstract

According to Jerne’s idiotypic network hypothesis, the adaptive immune system is regulated by interactions between the variable regions of antibodies, B cells, and T cells. The symmetrical immune network theory is based on Jerne’s hypothesis, and provides a basis for understanding many of the phenomena of adaptive immunity. The theory includes the postulate that the repertoire of serum IgG molecules is regulated by T cells, with the result that IgG molecules express V region determinants that mimic V region determinants present on suppressor T cells. In this paper we describe rapid binding between purified murine serum IgG of H-2b and H-2d mice and serum IgG from the same strain and from MHC-matched mice, but not between serum IgG preparations of mice with different MHC genes. We interpret this surprising finding in terms of a model in which IgG molecules are selected to have both anti-anti-self MHC and anti-anti-anti-self MHC specificity.