OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-idiotypic effect induced by a monoclonal antibody.

METHODSA conventional fusion method was used to obtain hybridoma cells producing monoclonal antibody, which were detected by flow cytometry. ELISA were used to detect the humoral response induced by the antibody in mice. Cytotoxic and proliferation experiments were used to detect the cellular response induced by the antibody in mice.

RESULTSCS20 is a MUC-1 specific monoclonal antibody that strongly reacts with MUC-1 antigen expressed on the cell surface of breast cancer cells. The antibody could not kill tumor cells directly through complement-dependent cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. However, after 6 administrations of mAb CS20-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) conjugated to BALB/c mice (n = 5) at a dose of 50 micro g/mouse, anti-idiotypic antibodies and anti-anti-idiotypic antibodies were induced. T cells derived from CS20-KLH-immunized mice responded to mAb CS20, indicating the existence of idiotype-specific T cells.

CONCLUSIONThese data indicated the possibility of using MUC-1 specific antibody for active immunotherapy of breast cancer.