[Endogenic activation of prorenin in hypertension]

Two forms of renin (active-APR and inactive-IPR) and its total production were studied in relation to the daily excretion of kallikrein in patients with essential hypertension of the labile and the stable stage at rest and following the stimulation by an hour's walk and the intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E (PGE). The results showed inverse correlations of APR and IPR in the total production of renin in hypertensive patients in different "renin" subgroups, and an inverse correlation between the level of IPR and the 24-hour excretion of kallikrein in the basal conditions and following an hour's walk. PGE infusion elevated APR and decreased IPR levels, leaving the total production of renin unchanged. The level of kidney kallikrein was inversely correlated with IPR and directly correlated with APR. The findings suggested the involvement of kidney kallikrein in the endogenic activation of prorenin.