A NOTE ON THE IODINATED CONSTITUENTS OF NORMAL THYROIDS AND OF EXOPHTHALMIC GOITERS*

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Abstract
Data on the content, distribution and turnover of I in thyroids of 5 euthyroid persons and of 4 patients with Graves''s disease, both in the untreated state and after 7-10 days of I therapy, were obtained by means of the use of I131 and column chromatography. No heretofore undiscovered iodinated compounds were found in either normal or Graves''s disease glands. The mean distribution of I in normal glands was found to be as follows: thyroxine, 35%; triodothyronine, 8%; diiodotyrosine, 25%; and monoidoty-rosine, 17%. That in the untreated goitrous glands was not essentially different. The total I content of exophthalmic goiters was only slightly less than that of normal tissue. The rate of transfer of I to thyroxine was apparently increased in the toxic glands. Giving Lugol''s solution for 7-10 days did not cause involution, or change the total I concentration. There was, however, an increase in inorganic iodide fraction. The suggestion is made that I therapy acts in some manner to slow the formation of thyroxine, after which histologic involution occurs.