Helper T lymphocytes from xid and normal mice support anti-phosphocholine antibody responses with equivalent T15, 511, and 603 idiotypic composition

We have examined the idiotypic composition of secondary adoptive transfer antibody responses to phosphocholine (PC) supported by KLH-primed helper T cells derived from normal mice or xid mice. CBA/N x BALB/c F1 male xid mice have diminished anti-PC responses and virtually undetectable levels of the T15 idiotype; xid mice do express the 511 and 603 idiotypes. Nonetheless, we find helper T cells derived from such mice are indistinguishable from T cells primed in a normal environment in their ability to cooperate with B cells producing anti-PC antibody bearing the T15, 511, or 603 idiotype markers. This result is in contrast to a previously published report from this laboratory. T cells from xid mice did support more IgG PFC than normal T cells, but serum IgG anti-PC antibody levels were similar in both groups. The IgM anti-PC response was predominantly of the T15 idiotype, whereas the 511 idiotype was associated with a minor fraction of IgG1 antibodies. The majority of the secondary IgG "anti-PC" antibody response bore none of the idiotypic markers associated with PC-binding myeloma or hybridoma antibodies, and was directed against phenyl-PC rather than PC. The phenomenon of T15 clonal dominance in the anti-PC response therefore is largely confined to the IgM response. We would conclude that the idiotype levels in the T cell priming environment do not influence the subsequent ability of such primed T cells to support anti-PC antibody responses.