Inhibitory effect of tyramine-induced release of catecholamines on renin secretion

The effect of the indirect sympathomimetic agent tyramine on the isoprenaline-induced increase in plasma renin concentration was investigated in conscious rats. Tyramine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the isoprenaline-induced elevation of plasma renin concentration. Pretreatment of the rats with reserpine abolished this effect of tyramine, indicating that tyramine released catecholamines which acted on the inhibitory adrenoceptors. Pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine, an alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, also abolished the inhibitory effect of tyramine on renin release, indicating that alpha-adrenoceptors mediated the observed inhibition of renin release. In rats with chronically denervated kidneys tyramine did not inhibit renin release. It is concluded that catecholamines which are released from renal sympathetic nerve endings can suppress renin release by activating alpha-adrenoceptors.