A response to P.H. Duesberg with reference to an idiotypic network model of AIDS immunopathogenesis
Hoffmann, G.W.
Research in Immunology 141(8): 701-709
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0923-2494 PMID: 2089529 DOI: 10.1016/0923-2494(90)90001-fDocument Number: 375458
Professors in British Columbia, Canada have devised an autoimmunity model of AIDS (MIAMI model) based on an atypical network theory of regulation of the immune system. It presents different stimuli as cofactors for AIDS: allogenic stimuli in some risk groups and MHC mimicking antigenic stimuli in other risk groups. V regions are on helper T cells that are somewhat anti-self class II MCH. Helper T cell idiotypes interact with both class II MHC and particular suppressor T cell idiotypes, therefore both may be similar. In fact, foreign lymphocytes also can induce an immune response similar to that of MHC image (MI). Hence the MI response is against the anti-self MHC, i.e., foreign idiotypes identify self, particularly self MHC. Further, the HIV envelope protein (gp120) binds to CD4 at a site that overlaps the site where CD4 interacts with class II MHC. Thus recombinant gp120 well as antibodies that recognize the gp120 undying site of CD4 can prevent the interaction of CD4 with class II MHC. Some mutations of CD4 effect the gp120 binding site but not the class II binding site and vice versa and others effect both. This similarity and others HIV can be considered an image of class II MHC, and the anti HIV immune response may be anti MHC image (AMI). MI and AMI responses are against each other and against idiotypic determinants expressed on helper and suppressor T cells respectively. A dual attack on the idiotypes of helper and suppressor T cells accompany these responses thereby causing an imminent collapse of the entire immune system. The model's significant predictive power thereby suggests that we may be able to prevent HIV from causing AIDS by inducing immunological tolerance to HIV components that resemble MHC molecules. This model rejects the 11 paradoxes identified by Duesberg who surmises that HIV is not a cofactor or cause of AIDS.