RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Kijima-Tanaka, Mayumi A1 Tamura, Y. A1 Suzuki, Shoko A1 Nagamine, N. A1 Nakamura, M.YR 1994 T1 Antigenic mimicry of Clostridium chauvoei flagella by polyclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 40 IS 1 SP 70 OP 75 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-40-1-70 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Summary Polyclonal rabbit anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies against two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the flagella of Clostridium chauvoei were produced, purified and characterised. Lack of cross-reactivity with heterologous MAbs indicated that the anti-Id antibodies were highly specific. The surface-exposed epitopes of the flagellar filament recognised with protective MAb were further distinguished by the anti-Id antibodies. Moreover, each anti-Id antibody inhibited the binding of its related MAb to flagellar antigens in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, suggesting that the anti-Id antibodies bore an internal image of the flagellar antigens. The survival rate of mice was increased to nearly twice that of controls by immunisation with anti-Id 41, which had been produced with a protective MAb; in contrast, anti-Id 114, produced with a non-protective MAb, failed to immunise. The results suggest that an anti-Id antibody containing an internal image of C. chauvoei flagella might be used as a vaccine., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-40-1-70