[Clinical application of anti-idiotypic antibody]

The concept of idiotype networks are supposed to play important roles in regulation of the immune response, and anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies have enabled to analyze the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and structural relations of receptors and ligands in clinical fields. We applied anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to tumor immunology to analyze idiotype network system of tumor associated antigen (TAA) and to investigate the fine structure of TAAs and their corresponding antibodies. New assays were established to detect circulating TAAs, anti-TAA antibodies and their immune complex regarding YH 206 antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) systems. The measurement of anti-TAA antibodies and immune complex was found to be of value for the cancer diagnosis. The results about immune response with use of anti-Id monoclonal antibodies suggest that some of the anti-Id antibodies might be useful for cancer therapy, since anti-Id antibody could induce anti-anti-Id antibodies reactive with tumor antigen. In this review, the usefulness of anti-Id MoAb to serodiagnosis and immunotherapy for cancer was discussed.