Angiotensin II Receptors in Human Isolated Renal Glomeruli*

125I-Labeled angiotensin II ([125I]A II) binds specifically to glomeruli isolated from human kidneys that were obtained at nephrectomy or early autopsy. Equilibrium was reached after 30 min, and specific binding represented more than 90% of the total binding. Dissociation after dilution with the addition of an excess of unlabeled hormone was more rapid than after dilution alone. The effect increased as a function of the A II concentration. The Scatchard plot derived from saturation experiments was curvilinear, with an upward concavity. Two groups of receptor sites could be defined by the Kd values (0.1 and 2 nM, respectively) and the number of receptor sites (40 and 300 fmol mg glomerular protein-1, respectively). Alternatively, binding could be considered to follow a negative cooperative type of hormone-receptor interaction. [Asn1, Val5]A II, [Asp1,Ile5]A II, [des, Asp1,Ile5]A II, [Sar1, Ala8]A II, and [Sar1, Ile8]A II were all equally effective as competitive inhibitors of [125I]A II binding. Both calcium and magnesium (0.5-5 mM) produced an increase in [125I]A II specific binding, whereas guanylylimidodiphosphate, an analog of GTP, inhibited it. Degradation of the [125I]A II present in the incubation medium was estimated by three different techniques. It increased linearly with time and reached 20% at 30 min. Specific binding of A II to human glomeruli at plasma concentrations observed in man under physiological conditions and during the iv administration of A II demonstrates that human renal glomeruli include target cells for A II and thus suggests a role for A II in regulation of the glomerular filtration rate in man.