Radioactive iodoprotein in thyroid lymph and blood

1. Samples of thyroid and non-thyroid lymph and of thyroid and peripheral venous blood were obtained from primates and cats that had previously been given radioactive iodine. The distribution of the organic radioiodine between the protein and non-protein fractions in these samples was determined. 2. The proportion of the organic radioiodine in the form of iodoprotein was assessed by paper chromatography, acid-ethanol precipitation, hot-butanol washing, column chromatography and separate estimation of iodotyrosines after enzymic hydrolysis. 3. In thyroid lymph the relative proportion of the organic radioiodine in the form of iodoprotein was 75–98%; in blood it was much lower, probably no more than 6–7%. The absolute concentration of iodoprotein radioactivity also was considerably greater in thyroid lymph than in blood. 4. Enzymic hydrolysis of the protein of the thyroid lymph yielded a pattern of iodoamino acids that corresponded closely with that obtained after hydrolysis of protein extracted from the thyroid gland itself. 5. It can be concluded that the iodoprotein in thyroid lymph consists mainly of thyroglobulin or a closely related compound.