The hypothesis presented is that antibodies are constructed by the adaptive immune system using a portion of antigen, either viral or bacterial or any other, as a template to make the antibody itself. Such a process would result in a molecular complex with similarities to the structure of an inside-out section of DNA helix, although quite different from DNA in both formation and function … a molecular complex which would help explain the almost infinite range of the adaptive mmune system.

The hypothesis presented is that antibodies are constructed by the adaptive immune system using a portion of antigen, either viral or bacterial or any other, as a template to make the antibody itself. Such a process would result in a molecular complex with similarities to the structure of an inside-out section of DNA helix, although quite different from DNA in both formation and function … a molecular complex which would help explain the almost infinite range of the adaptive mmune system.

Correspondence

Correspondence Title: Blocking or anti-idiotypic antibodyThe elegant work reported by Trifonova et al (1) describing the creation of specific allergen peptides, and their use in the construction of a recombinant vaccine is quite remarkable. The IgG antibodies produced by the administration of that vaccine, and their subsequent interference with IgE antibodies’ allergenic abilities offers enhanced effectiveness compared to other therapeutic approaches.However, I wonder how the authors determined the target of the IgG antibodies they created…Antibody-Antigen interactions have been likened to a tumbler-lock and key model. The antigen’s surface is represented by the key; the antibodies’ amino acid patterned surface complementary to the antigen’s surface, the pins of the tumbler-lock.However, the Fab region of the antibody molecule is not a 2-dimensional structure, any more than the pins of the tumbler-lock are.With the tumbler lock, the inner surface of pins would be patterned complementary to the surface of the key. However, the opposite ends of those pins would be patterned like the surface of the key.Likewise, the inner surface of the exposed paratope of the IgE’s Fab would be patterned complementary to the surface of the antigen. The outer surface of the exposed paratope of the IgE Fab portion, however, would be “like” the surface of the antigen … “like” in the sense of more similar than the paratopic outer surface of any IgE antibody targeting any other antigen.An IgG antibody is then introduced into the system targeting the same antigenic surface the IgE antibody is targeting.How would one know whether the surface which binds with the IgG antibody is the surface of the antigen the IgE antibody is targeting (IgG acting as a blocking antibody), or the outer surface of the IgE’s paratope (IgG acting as an anti-idiotypic antibody)?Either one could have interfered with the functional ability of the IgE antibody and would have produced the observed results.ReferenceTrifonova D, Curin M, Focke-Tejkl M, et al. Recombinant Hypoallergenic Cat Allergy Vaccines. Allergy . Published online April 3, 2025. doi.org/10.1111/all.16542Kind regards, Elliott Hurwitz, MDKeywordsallergenallergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT)allergyBlocking antibodyIdiotypic antibodymolecular allergy vaccine