Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Kinins”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Pathophysiology of the kallikrein-kinin system in mammalian nervous tissue.

The nervous system and peripheral tissues in mammals contain a large number of biologically active peptides and proteases that function as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators in the nervous system, as hormones or cellular mediators in peripheral tissue, and play a role in human neurological diseases. The existence and possible functional relevance of bradykinin and kallidin (the peptides), kallikreins (the proteolytic enzymes), and kininases (the peptidases) in neurophysiology and neuropathological states are discussed in this review. Tissue kallikrein, the major cellular kinin-generating enzyme, has been localised in various areas of the mammalian brain. Functionally, it may assist also in the normal turnover of brain proteins and the processing of peptide-hormones, neurotransmitters, and some of the nerve growth factors that are essential for normal neuronal function and synaptic transmission. A specific class of kininases, peptidases responsible for the rapid degradation of kinins, is considered to be identical to enkephalinase A. Additionally, kinins are known to mediate inflammation, a cardinal feature of which is pain, and the clearest evidence for a primary neuronal role exists so far in the activation by kinins of peripherally located nociceptive receptors on C-fibre terminals that transmit and modulate pain perception. Kinins are also important in vascular homeostasis, the release of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters, and the modulation of cerebral cellular immunity. The two kinin receptors, B2 and B1, that modulate the cellular actions of kinins have been demonstrated in animal neural tissue, neural cells in culture, and various areas of the human brain. Their localisation in glial tissue and neural centres, important in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis and nociception, suggests that the kinin system may play a functional role in the nervous system.

Alzheimer Disease↗

The role of urinary kininogen in the regulation of kinin generation.

The kallikrein-kininogen-kinin system has been postulated to play a role in the regulation of blood pressure and modulation of renal salt and water transport. The activity of this system has usually been determined by measurements of urinary kallikrein excretion. However, urinary kallikrein rarely correlates with simultaneously measured urinary kinins. To further evaluate the factors influencing urinary kinin excretion, we evaluated the role of urinary kininogen in this system. Urines were analyzed from normal subjects and individuals with untreated essential hypertension and end-stage renal disease. Intact urinary kininogen was significantly correlated with urinary kinins in normal subjects (r = 0.65, P = 0.003) and essential hypertensives (r = 0.52, P = 0.026). In both essential hypertension and end-stage renal disease, urinary kinins were significantly decreased (8.00 +/- 1.93, 0.90 +/- 0.18, P less than 0.05, respectively) compared to controls (23.73 +/- 5.20). In essential hypertensives, the reduction in urinary kinins was paralleled by a reduction in intact kininogen with a normal excretion of kallikrein. In end-stage renal disease, the reduction in kinins was paralleled by a reduction in kallikrein with a normal excretion of intact kininogen. This data suggests that kininogen may be an important determinant of urinary kinin excretion in various disease states.

Aldosterone↗

Plasma kinins increase after angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in human subjects.

1. In patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, kinin-related effects have been postulated repeatedly, but information on changes in plasma kinin levels in these patients is sparse. Difficulties in the measurement of plasma kinins account for this, at least in part. 2. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate, in normal human subjects, the effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor quinapril on plasma kinins. 3. High-affinity antisera (Kd < 10(-11) mol/l) of C-terminal specificity were raised in rabbits for radioimmunoassay of immunoreactive kinins activating the bradykinin B2-receptor, and three different liquid- and solid-phase extraction methods for plasma kinins were evaluated. Ethanol and subsequent petroleum ether extraction of 5-40 fmol of bradykinin added to plasma yielded recoveries of 39 +/- 16% (mean +/- SD); normal kinin levels in human plasma were 18.6 +/- 3.3 pmol/l (mean +/- SEM). Solid-phase extraction on urea-equilibrated phenylsilylsilica produced recoveries of 89 +/- 5% and normal values of 36.4 +/- 18 pmol/l. Finally, with an assay based on ethanol extraction alone, recoveries of 100 +/- 16% and normal values of 16.8 +/- 5.8 pmol/l were obtained, with a detection limit of 1.5 fmol/ml of plasma. Blanks were below the detection limit. Serial dilution of plasma extracts (n = 4) provided linear kinin concentrations (r = 0.99). For two different plasma pools, coefficients of variation for within-assay precision were 16.7% and 21.7%, respectively. Between-assay coefficients of variation were 12.8% and 17.4%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Isolation and partial characterization of kinin-like peptides formed by acid protease from murine fibroblast L-929.

A kinin-forming acid protease was isolated and purified from a stationary cell culture of murine fibroblasts L-929 (Biochem. Pharmacol. 26: 1187, 1977). The enzyme formed kinins at an optimal pH of 4.0 from Murphy-Sturm lymphosarcoma tissue and rat plasma kininogen substrate. This study reports on the isolation and partial chemical characterization of two fibroblast kinins. The 12,000 g fraction of L-929 fibroblast homogenates was incubated with rat plasma at 37 degrees, pH 4.0, for 92 hours, and the kinins extracted with ethyl alcohol-p-toluene sulfonic acid. Two fibroblast kinins, FKI and FKII, were separated and purified on the following chromatographic columns: G-25 Sephadex (1 X 115 cm), CM-C50 Sephadex (2.5 X 15 cm), and Biogel P-4 (1 X 115 cm). Kinin activity was bioassayed on the perfused isolated rat uterus preparation. The purity of the kinins was ascertained by thin layer chromatography coupled with dansylation. The estimated molecular weight of FKI was 1450 with a 14-amino acid composition (determined by automatic AA analysis) that included AspThrSerProGluGlyAlaValLeuTyrPheLysHisArg. FKII had an estimated molecular weight of 1000 with a 12-amino acid composition including AspSerProGluGlyAlaLeuTyrLysHisArg. The kinins were relatively rich in arginine and did not contain the bradykinin sequence.

Amino Acids↗

Kinins and peritoneal exudates induced by carrageenin and zymosan in rats.

1. Kinins were measured by a radioimmunoassay in the inflammatory exudates induced by carrageenin or zymosan in the peritoneal cavity of normal Wistar rats and of kininogen-deficient Brown Norway rats. 2. After administration of carrageenin to normal rats, levels of immunoreactive kinins showed a single peak during the first two hours and then decreased. The presence of kinins preceded and accompanied the exudation of 125I-labelled albumin. Kinins were identified as bradykinin by chromatography. 3. Captopril, an inhibitor of kininase 2, increased the level of kinins and the volume of the exudates after carrageenin treatment. In Brown Norway rats, the volume of the exudates was small and contained little or undetectable amounts of immunoreactive kinins. 4. During zymosan-induced peritonitis, the exudates were devoid of immunoreactive kinins in both species. The volume of the exudates was larger in kininogen-deficient rats than in normal rats. 5. We conclude that in rats, the kinin system is a major factor responsible for the development of the inflammatory reactions induced by carrageenin, but is not involved in the reactions induced by zymosan.

Animals↗

The kinin peptide family in invertebrates.

Kinins comprise a family of peptides that were first found in the central nervous system of insects and recently also in mollusks and crustaceans. After the isolation of the first members of the kinin family, the leukokinins from Leucophaea maderae, leukokinin-related peptides were found in the cricket Acheta domesticus and the locust Locusta migratoria, all through their ability to induce Leucophaea maderae hindgut contraction. Subsequently, kinins were found in the mosquitoes Culex salinarius and Aedes aegypti and in the earworm Helicoverpa zea. The first noninsect member of this family was isolated from a mollusk, the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Most recently our group has isolated the first kinins from crustaceans. Six kinins were isolated from the white shrimp Penaeus vannamei. To date, 35 members of this family have been isolated. The first relatively small family of insect kinins has grown into an expanding and rather large family with members in insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. In this paper we discuss the kinin family in terms of method of isolation, structure, in vitro and in vivo activity, distribution, receptors, and signal transduction. We will compare the crustacean and insect members of the kinin family, using the data available on crustacea.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Plasma kinins and cortisol: a possible explanation of the anti-inflammatory action of cortisol.

Kinins are naturally occurring vasoactive polypeptides thought to be mediators of acute inflammatory responses. Kinins are released from a plasma protein substrate by glass-activated plasma enzymes (kallikreins) or by isolated intact granulocytes. Cortisol in concentrations of 2.5 x 10(-6) to 2.5 x 10(-5)M prevented the release of active kinin from substrate by granulocytes or contact with glass. Deoxycorticosterone, progesterone, and etiocholanolone in comparable concentrations were significantly less effective in preventing kinin release. Plasma obtained from patients receiving prednisone released no kinin after activation by glass and less kinin than control plasma when exposed to granulocytes. Cortisol also partially inhibited the release of kinin by purified urinary kallikrein. Certain adrenocorticosteroids may exert their anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the release of plasma kinins. Steroids may act in part by preventing interaction between the activated kallikrein and its substrate.

Animals↗

Ovarian increase in kinin-generating capacity in PMSG/hCG-primed immature rat.

Ovarian kinin-generating capacity was determined during induced ovulation in immature Wistar rats. The onset of ovulation was monitored by counting the number of ova in the oviducts at 2-h intervals after the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Ova began to appear in significant numbers at 14 h after hCG, with an average of 7.6 +/- 2.3 ova/rat. By 16 h after hCG, the oviducts contained 32.7 +/- 4.1 ova/rat. The ovaries from each group of animals were homogenized in phosphate-buffered saline, and extracts of this tissue were incubated for 200 min to allow the generation of kinins from endogenous kininogen. The amount of kinin generated by this procedure was measured by radioimmunoassay. At 0 h (i.e., just before the administration of hCG), the ovaries contained 5.90 +/- 0.60 pg kinin/micrograms protein per 200 min in the ovarian extract. By 4 h after hCG, the kinins increased significantly (P less than 0.05) to 13.16 +/- 3.61 pg kinin/micrograms protein. The kinins progressively increased (P less than 0.001) to 67.88 +/- 23.26 pg kinin/micrograms protein by 16 h after hCG. Indomethacin and cycloheximide significantly inhibited both kinin-generating activity and ovulation. These data suggest that kinin-forming activity and kinins may have a role in the ovulatory process of mammals.

Animals↗

Effects of a kinin antagonist on renal function in rats.

We contrasted the effects of D-Arg-Arg-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Thi-Ser-DPhe-Thi-Arg-TFA (kinin receptor antagonist), of aprotinin (kallikrein inhibitor), and of combined treatment with captopril (kininase II inhibitor) and phosphoramidon (neutral endopeptidase 24.11 inhibitor) on renal function of rats with and without 14-day deoxycorticosterone pretreatment (DOC, 25 mg.kg-1.wk-1 sc). Neither the kinin antagonist nor aprotinin affected renal function in rats with and without DOC pretreatment. Combined treatment with captopril and phosphoramidon caused in rats with and without DOC pretreatment augmentation (P less than 0.05) of kinin excretion (50-64%), glomerular filtration rate (12-11%), and sodium excretion (46-48%). In DOC-pretreated rats undergoing infusion of captopril and phosphoramidon, the superimposed administration of either the kinin antagonist or aprotinin caused the lowering of renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, and sodium excretion. These effects of the kinin antagonist and aprotinin in rats infused with kininase inhibitors may be the consequence of blockade, respectively, of the renal actions and synthesis of kinins that, when in excess, elicit renal vasodilation and increase glomerular filtration rate and sodium excretion. Collectively, these observations suggest regulatory influence of kinins during conditions featuring increased renal kinin levels.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Insulin-like growth factor I produces renal hyperfiltration by a kinin-mediated mechanism.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) infusion into rats and humans reduces renal vascular resistance and raises glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF). To investigate whether kinins mediate the renal vasodilatory effects of IGF-I, we infused rats with IGF-I alone or in the presence of a B2 kinin receptor antagonist. Left kidney GFR, RPF, and kinin excretion were measured during infusion of vehicle and subsequently during 60-min infusion of IGF-I or IGF-I plus kinin antagonist. IGF-I was given as a bolus (150 micrograms/kg body wt), followed by infusion at a rate of 8.3 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1 for 60 min. The kinin antagonist was infused at a dose of 1 microgram.kg-1 x min-1 for 60 min before the start of IGF-I infusion. GFR and RPF increased significantly after IGF-I infusion was begun, from baseline levels of 1.70 +/- 0.12 and 6.21 +/- 0.34 to 2.12 +/- 0.11 and 7.91 +/- 0.29 ml/min, respectively, at 20 min (P < 0.001). This effect was maintained throughout 60 min of infusion. The increase in GFR and RPF was associated with a marked rise in urinary kinin excretion, from a baseline of 8.51 +/- 6.7 to 24.7 +/- 6.7 pg/min at 20 min and 40.3 +/- 10.4 pg/min at 40 min (P < 0.001). Pretreatment with the kinin receptor antagonist blocked the rise in GFR and RPF in response to IGF-I. These data suggest that the renal vasodilatory effect of IGF-I is mediated by kinins.

Animals↗

Plasma kinin concentration in deoxycorticosterone-salt hypertension.

We investigated the status of circulating kinins in rats with severe hypertension caused by drinking 1% NaCl (saline) and treatment with deoxycorticosterone (DOC, 25 mg/kg/wk s.c.) for 5 weeks. Saline-drinking rats treated with DOC had a higher systolic blood pressure (210 +/- 4 mm Hg) than did rats without DOC treatment drinking water (138 +/- 3 mm Hg) or saline (141 +/- 3 mm Hg). The concentration of kinins in the inferior vena cava plasma of DOC-salt hypertensive rats did not differ from the venous plasma kinin concentration in normotensive rats drinking water or saline. In contrast, the arterial plasma kinin concentration in DOC-salt hypertensive rats (7.0 +/- 0.8 pg/ml) was lower (p less than 0.002) than that in water-drinking controls (14.0 +/- 2.2 pg/ml); it also was lower (p less than 0.005) in saline-drinking rats (8.1 +/- 0.9 pg/ml) than in water-drinking controls. Infusion of bradykinin (20 micrograms/kg/min i.v.) increased arterial plasma kinins in all the groups. Nonetheless, the arterial plasma kinin concentration achieved during bradykinin infusion in DOC-salt hypertensive (1590 +/- 130 pg/ml) and in saline-drinking rats (1540 +/- 100 pg/ml) was lower than that in water-drinking rats (2140 +/- 210 pg/ml). On the other hand, during infusion of the kininase II inhibitor captopril (80 micrograms/hr i.p.) for 3 days, neither DOC-salt hypertensive rats nor saline-drinking normotensive rats exhibited significant reduction of arterial plasma kinins relative to the level in water-drinking controls. These data indicate that high salt intake, irrespective of the level of blood pressure, causes the arterial plasma concentration of kinins to fall.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Role of angiotensin converting enzyme and other peptidases in in vivo metabolism of kinins.

Arterial plasma kinins and mean arterial pressure were measured in intact and bilaterally nephrectomized rats infused with vehicle or bradykinin to study the role of 1) angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and other peptidases and 2) the kidney (a kininase-rich organ) in the metabolism of kinins in vivo. Before the infusion, rats were pretreated with vehicle, enalaprilat (an ACE inhibitor), or a cocktail of kininase inhibitors containing 1) enalaprilat, 2) DL-2-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidinoethyl-thiopropanoic acid (MGTA), a carboxypeptidase N inhibitor, 3) phosphoramidon, a neutral endopeptidase 24.11 inhibitor, and 4) bestatin, an aminopeptidase B inhibitor. In the rats with vehicle (n = 8), the cocktail did not significantly increase endogenous kinins (from 31 +/- 6 to 41 +/- 9 pg/ml, p = 0.94). In the rats infused with bradykinin (peptidase substrate), plasma kinins increased threefold in the group pretreated with the vehicle, 21-fold in the enalaprilat group, and 22-fold in the cocktail group. These increases were doubled by nephrectomy but were not affected by ureteral ligation. In the groups pretreated with the cocktail or enalaprilat, the hypotensive effect of bradykinin was correlated with plasma kinin concentration (r = 0.75, p less than 0.001). After bradykinin infusion was stopped, plasma kinins decreased by half in 10-12 seconds in the rats pretreated with vehicle, enalaprilat, or cocktail. We concluded that ACE and the kidney are important to the metabolism of circulating kinins while carboxypeptidase N, neutral endopeptidase 24.11 and aminopeptidase B are not. We also concluded that other tissue peptidases, not affected by either the above inhibitors or nephrectomy, play an important role in kinin metabolism.

Animals↗

Role of vasopressin in regulation of renal kinin excretion in Long-Evans and diabetes insipidus rats.

To study the relationship between vasopressin and the renal kallikrein-kinin system we measured the rate of excretion of kinins into the urine of anesthetized rats during conditions of increased and decreased vasopressin level. The excretion of immunoreactive kinins in Brattleboro rats with hereditary diabetes insipidus (DI) (24 +/- 3 pg min-1 kg-1) was lower than in the control Long Evans (LE) rats (182 +/- 22 pg min-1 kg-1; P less than 0.05). The DI rats also exhibited negligible urinary excretion of immunoreactive vasopressin, reduced urine osmolality, and increased urine flow and kininogenase excretion. In LE rats, volume expansion by infusion of 0.45% NaCl-2.5% dextrose to lower vasopressin secretion reduced (P less than 0.05) kinin excretion, vasopressin excretion, and urine osmolality to 41, 26, and 15% of their respective control values, while increasing (P less than 0.05) urine flow and kininogenase excretion. On the other hand, the infusion of 5% NaCl, which promotes vasopressin secretion, increased (P less than 0.05) the urinary excretion of kinins and vasopressin to 165 and 396% of control, while increasing (P less than 0.05) urine flow and kininogenase excretion. Infusion of vasopressin (1.2 mU/h, intravenous) enhanced (P less than 0.05) kinin excretion by two to threefold in DI rats and in LE rats during volume expansion with 0.45% NaCl-2.5% dextrose, while decreasing urine flow and increasing urine osmolality. This study demonstrates that the urinary excretion of immunoreactive kinins varies in relation to the urinary level of vasopressin, irrespective of urine volume and osmolality and of the urinary excretions of sodium and kininogenase. The study suggests a role for vasopressin in promoting the activity of the renal kallikrein-kinin system in the rat.

Animals↗

Evidence for renal kinins as mediators of amino acid-induced hyperperfusion and hyperfiltration in the rat.

This study examined the role of tissue kallikrein and kinins in renal vasodilation produced by infusion of amino acids (AA). In rats fed a 9% protein diet for 2 wk, intravenous infusion of a 10% AA solution over 60-90 min reduced total renal vascular resistance and increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by 25-40% and renal plasma flow (RPF) by 23-30% from baseline. This was associated with a two- to threefold increase in urinary kinin excretion rate. Acute treatment of rats with aprotinin, a kallikrein inhibitor, resulted in deposition of immunoreactive aprotinin in kallikrein-containing connecting tubule cells and inhibited renal kallikrein activity by 90%. A protinin pretreatment abolished the rise in urinary kinins and prevented significant increases in GFR and RPF in response to AA. In a second group of rats pretreated with a B2 kinin receptor antagonist, [DArg Hyp3, Thi5,8 D Phe7]bradykinin, AA infusion raised urinary kinins identically as in untreated controls, but GFR and RPF responses were absent. Aprotinin or the kinin antagonist produced no consistent change in renal function in rats that were not infused with AA.AA-induced increases in kinins were not associated with an increase in renal kallikrein activity. Notably, tissue active kallikrein level fell 50% in AA-infused rats. These studies provide evidence that kinins generated in the kidney participate in mediating renal vasodilation during acute infusion of AA.

Amino Acids↗

Kinins and cardiovascular diseases.

Kinins are synthesized from their precursors by different enzymes and participate in the regulation of cardiovascular function through bradykinin (BK) B1 and B2 receptors. They modulate blood coagulation by exerting antithrombotic and profibrinolytic actions. By activating B2 receptors that results in the release of nitric oxide and prostacyclin, kinins inhibit vascular smooth muscle growth and neointima formation, which may play an inhibitory role on the atherosclerosis development, while through the activation of B1 receptors, they may play a deleterious role in this disease. Kinins are potent endogenous vasodilators that are involved in the regulation of coronary vascular tone. However, due to their metabolic characteristics, these peptides act mainly as an autocrine/paracrine factor to locally regulate blood perfusion of organs. By modulating cellular energy metabolism and myocardial oxygen consumption, they protect cardiac and vascular endothelial function in myocardial ischemia and heart failure. Finally, mounting evidence indicates that kinins are involved in the actions of some drugs actually used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonists. Taken together, the kinin system constitutes a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases. Experiments in animals attempted to explore the kinin system as a therapeutic means, including the mobilization of endogenous kinins using pharmacological agents, searching BK analogs with long-acting properties and gene therapies. However, the potential values of the kinin system have not been taken into consideration in clinical practice for cardiovascular indications.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

[Do kinins have significance for the antihypertensive effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors?].

Inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II) results in a reduced release of angiotensin II and in an accumulation of kinins. By pretreatment with inhibitors of the kallikrein-kinin systems, the blood pressure lowering effect of the ACE-inhibitors will be diminished. These results suggest that potentiation of kinins will participate in the blood pressure reduction by ACE-inhibitors. However, other studies contradict this hypothesis, showing that the inhibition of kallikrein-kinin systems per se will often result in a reduction of stimulated renin activity. Even the measurement of kinins in the blood cannot clarify the role of kinins in ACE-inhibition. Some new investigations discuss only a local and tissue-specific enhancement of kinins after ACE-inhibition, but up to now strong evidence for participation of kinins by local mechanisms in the action of ACE-inhibitors is still missing.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Identification of a new kinin in human urine.

The types of kinins excreted in fresh urine of dogs, rats, and humans were compared. Urinary kinins were separated by reverse-phase (C18) high performance liquid chromatography and quantitated by radioimmunoassay using an antibody directed against the COOH-terminal region of the peptide. Kinins were found in the following proportions: 53 +/- 3% bradykinin, 23 +/- 4% Lys-bradykinin, and 13 +/- 7% des-Arg1-bradykinin in dog urine; 67 +/- 6% bradykinin, 6 +/- 3% Lys-bradykinin, and 10 +/- 3% des-Arg1-bradykinin in rat urine; and 12 +/- 4% bradykinin, 30 +/- 3% Lys-bradykinin, 2 +/- 1% des-Arg1-bradykinin, and 41 +/- 3% unknown kinin in human urine. The unknown kinin was purified from a pool of human urine. Amino acid sequencing revealed a structure similar to Lys-bradykinin except that proline in position 4 was replaced by alanine ([Ala3]Lys-bradykinin). Synthetic and endogenous [Ala3]Lys-bradykinins had similar high performance liquid chromotography elution volumes and both had vasodilator activity and contracted the rat uterus. Human urinary kallikrein incubated with semipurified human low molecular weight kininogen released 76% of the total kinins as Lys-bradykinin, 7% as bradykinin, and 17% as [Ala3]Lys-bradykinin. In contrast, rat urinary kallikrein released 86% bradykinin, 18% Lys-bradykinin, and negligible amounts of [Ala3]Lys-bradykinin. The study revealed the presence of a new kinin, [Ala3]Lys-bradykinin, in human urine and it also proves that the types of kinins generated intrarenally are species-dependent.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Kinins in relation to renin activity in renal and inferior caval veins in normal individuals and patients with primary aldosteronism.

Blood kinin concentration and plasma renin activity (PRA) were determined in the renal veins and in the inferior caval vein (ICV) below the level of the renal veins in 9 normal individuals (5 men and 4 women) and 7 patients with primary aldosteronism (3 men and 4 women). PRA in the renal veins and ICV was significantly lower and plasma aldosterone concentration in ICV significantly higher in the patients as compared to the normals. Kinin concentration in the renal veins and ICV did not differ significantly between the patients and the normals (0.31 +/- 0.04 (mean +/- SEM) vs 0.45 +/- 0.03 and 0.27 +/- 0.05 vs 0.45 +/- 0.06 microgram/l, respectively). In the normal individuals kinin concentration and PRA were inversely related in the left renal vein (r = -0.80; P less than 0.02), whereas this relation did not reach statistical significance in the right renal vein (r = -0.60; P less than 0.10). Kinin concentration in both renal veins was positively correlated to kinin concentration in ICV (r = 0.73; P less than 0.05 and r = 0.83; P less than 0.02 for the right and left renal vein, respectively). These results indicate that intrarenal kinin formation and renin release are inversely related in normal subjects. Furthermore, they suggest that one and the same enzyme, possibly renal kallikrein, may be implicated in the kinin formation in the systemic as well as in the renal circulation. Intrarenal kinin formation seems not to be increased in primary aldosteronism.

Adult↗