Abstract
Sera from fifty-six adults (males and females) were tested for free thyroglobulin and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies by electrophoretic immunoretention and chromatographic techniques using 131I-labelled thyroglobulin. The results were also compared with those previously reported in seventy-two parturient women and their newborn infants as well as three athyrotic cretins.
The results show that from one-half to two-thirds of normal non-pregnant females and from one-third to one-half of normal men have some material in their serum which binds labelled thyroglobulin and which may be anti-thyroglobulin antibody. A non-specific binding could not be excluded. The incidence of this phenomenon tends to have a positive correlation with age. On the other hand, one-fifth to one-third of newborn infants have `free thyroglobulin'-like substance in their serum (0.005–0.05 μg/ml). This was also found in a significantly smaller proportion in adults but was a particularly rare finding in non-pregnant women.
The implications of these findings on current immunological concepts are discussed.
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