Iodine is essential for human T cell recognition of human thyroglobulin.

Here we describe for the first time that recognition by human T cells of human thyroglobulin depends upon its iodine content. We have examined the proliferation of lymphocytes from blood of autoimmune thyroiditis patients and normal individuals to thyroglobulin preparations containing different amounts of iodine. A minimal degree of iodination was required to elicit the proliferative response of both patients and normal individuals since thyroglobulin preparations containing no detectable iodine did not induce proliferation. A non-iodinated thyroglobulin preparation that was iodinated in vitro produced significant proliferation of both patient and normal lymphocytes. Addition of IL-2 to the culture medium enhanced proliferation but did not change the pattern of response.