Triton WR-1339 injected into rats enters renal renin granules

To test directly the possibility that substances in extracellular fluid can gain access to renin storage granules in renal juxtaglomerular cells, rats were injected with Triton WR-1339, which binds to plasma proteins. A heavy granule fraction was prepared, and isopycnic sucrose density gradient centrifugation was performed. The renin granule peak was found to be altered from a mean equilibrium density of 1.202 g/ml in control rats to 1.196 g/ml for rats injected with Triton WR-1339 (P less than 0.005). The distribution of angiotensinogen, which is bound in kidney granules having a different buoyant density, was also examined and found to be unaltered. After injection, Triton WR-1339 binds to circulating plasma proteins. The results for renin support the possibility of pinocytotic uptake of protein-Triton WR-1339 complexes by the juxtaglomerular cells with subsequent fusion of the endocytotic lysosomal vacuoles with renin granules accounting for the translocation of ingested substances into the granule matrix. If so, the potential would therefore exist for interaction(s) of ingested extracellular substances with renin or other components in the granules. The present study has therefore demonstrated directly that endogenous extracellular substances may enter renin granules.