Evidence for a functional idiotypic network among natural antibodies in normal mice

We monitored in normal adult BALB/c mice the serum concentrations of four natural IgM antibodies, two of which show idiotypic complementarity in in vitro assays. In each individual, serum concentration of all four idiotypes were found to fluctuate in complex dynamical patterns with low correlation. The spectral power of some such patterns was found to be compatible with the existence of a chaotic regime. Groups of normal adult mice were injected intravenously with low (10 ng) or moderate (10 micrograms) doses of either of the two complementary idiotypes in saline. This treatment resulted in a pronounced inhibition of the fluctuation in the serum concentration of both complementary idiotypes for periods up to 3 months. Such compensations were not detected for the two unrelated natural idiotypes and were specifically induced, for they did not occur following the injection of unrelated antibodies. These results indicate the functional operation of an idiotypic network among natural antibodies.