Development of murine anti idiotypic monoclonal antibodies to a human monoclonal antibody reactive with a colon tumor associated antigen

Because human monoclonal antibodies (MCA) in human tissues and plasma cannot be monitored as easily as murine MCA, murine anti-idiotypic (anti-id) antibodies specific for an IgM monoclonal antibody (Co16-88) reactive with a colon tumor antigen were developed. Balb/c mice were negatively immunized with human IgM, and then immunized with 16-88 Ab in Complete Freund's Adjuvant, Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant and then boosted with 16-88 Ab in saline. Splenic lymphocytes from an immune mouse were fused with NS-1 mouse myeloma cells. Supernatants obtained from the fusion were tested for reactivity to the immunizing 16-88 Ab with a competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Five antibodies to the 16-88 Ab were detected. Of these five, two were reactive with 16-52, a MCA derived from the same patient as the 16-88 Ab but specific to a different antigen. These five antibodies will make the detection and monitoring of 16-88 Ab in human tumors and plasma much more feasible.