Occurrence of big renin in human plasma, amniotic fluid and kidney extracts

Big renin, a relatively inactive renin which possesses a molecular weight larger than that of normal plasma or renal renin, has been demonstrated by gel filtration in certain human plasma, tumor extracts, and amniotic fluid. Big renin was not present in normal plasma or kidney extracts. Plasma from 3 hypertensive patients with nephropathy contained chiefly big renin. Varying proportions of both big and normal renin activity were present in plasma of other patients with hypertension and proteinuria. The renin present in amniotic fluid, which increased in activity following exposure to acid pH, was shown to be big renin in two patients. Large amounts of circulating big renin apparently can cause hypertension in patients with Wilms' tumors. Furthermore, the relatively inactive big renin may replace normal plasma renin in some patients, resulting in low plasma renin activity.