Does Angiotensin Regulate Systemic Conversion of Prorenin to Renin?

Within 12 hours of binephrectomy in rats, plasma prorenin rises about 250% above the pre-operative baseline and remains above-normal for at least 48 hours, indicating an extrarenal source of prorenin. Concurrently, active renin disappears, implying the loss of a renal "convertase" mechanism for prorenin activation. Such "convertase" activity was detected in incubates of renal cortical slices. To test the effect of angiotensin (Ang) on prorenin/"convertase" regulation, we infused Ang I (100 ng/kg/min) intraperitoneally for 24 hours and obtained evidence of "convertase" inhibition, as happened also following Ang II (2uM) addition to incubated cortical slices. Thus, the release and/or activity of "convertase" appears to be regulated by Ang in-vivo and in-vitro, suggesting that Ang controls not only direct renal renin release but also the secretion and/or activity of a renal "convertase" capable of producing additional renin from circulating prorenin pools.