Reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes from autoimmune thyroiditis patients and normal controls to differentially iodinated thyroglobulin

We examined the difference in proliferation of lymphocytes separated from blood of autoimmune thyroiditis patients and normal controls to thyroglobulin (Tg) preparations containing different amounts of iodine. Proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in response to Tg was studied in 5 autoimmune thyroiditis patients and 5 normal controls. Both patients and controls reacted with a proliferative response to Tg although patients exhibited a greater proliferative response. Addition of IL-2 to the medium enhanced proliferation but did not alter the pattern of reactivity. Some degree of iodination was required for eliciting the proliferative response of both patients and controls since Tg preparations containing no detectable iodine did not cause a response. Finally, some of the patients and some of the controls proliferated more vigorously in response to highly iodinated Tg compared to normal Tg.