Detection of Cells Producing Anti-Idiotypic Antibody to Thyroid Stimulating Hormone-Reactive Antibodies

Abstract

BALB/c mice were immunized either with bovine (b) or human (h) thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) or with one of several mouse monoclonal anti-hTSH antibodies. The binding of biotinylated mouse monoclonal anti-hTSH to sections of spleen, kidney, liver and lung was assessed with fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled avidin. Clusters of cells in the spleens of mice immunized with bTSH bound the labelled monoclonal anti-TSH. We suggest that these cells synthesized auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies to anti-TSH.