Characterization of the renin-angiotensin system in the turtle Pseudemys scripta

Studies were conducted in freshwater turtles Pseudemys scripta to define some characteristics of the renin-angiotensin system in this reptile. Dialyzed acid-treated kidney extract (1 g tissue per ml water) produced a prolonged pressor response in unanesthetized turtles, which was eliminated by boiling the extract or by pretreating the turtle with [Sar1, Ile8]angiotensin II. A rat pressor assay was employed because turtle angiotensin (ANG) was bound poorly by the anti-[Asp1, Ile5, His9]ANG I used in our radioimmunoassay. Kidney extract incubated with homologous plasma (pH 5.5 and 25 degrees C) produced a time-dependent pressor response in rats. The pressor activity of the product was eliminated by dialysis or by pretreating the rats with [Sar1, Ile8]ANG II. The pressor response in anesthetized turtles to ANG I was significantly reduced by captopril, whereas the ANG II response remained unchanged, thus demonstrating the presence of ANG-converting enzyme activity in these animals. We determined the velocity of turtle ANG formation at various dilutions of enzyme (kidney extract) or substrate (plasma). Turtle kidney extract incubated with homologous plasma displayed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Finally we conducted experiments to determine whether a portion of turtle plasma renin exists in an inactive form. Trypsinization caused a slight increase in plasma renin activity (PRA), whereas acidification to pH 3.3 yielded a fourfold increase in PRA.