Anti-idiotype sera raised against surface immunoglobulin of human neoplastic lymphocytes

The idiotypic determinants of surface immunoglobulins on B-cell lymphomas and lymphocytic leukemias represent tumor-specific antigens, individually unique for each tumor. As such they have both diagnostic and therapeutic potential, particularly for those neoplasms with no serum monoclonal immunoglobulin arising from synthesis of the protein for export. We describe the raising in animals of anti-idiotype sera directed against two examples of a nonexporting neoplasm, human chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The procedure involves exposing the cells to papain so as to remove the Fab fragments (containing the idiotypic determinants) from the surface immunoglobulin, recovering the Fab on cellulose immunosorbent particles, and immunizing animals with the immunosorbent-Fab complex.