Hormonal control of plasma renin substrate; (angiotensinogen)

The effect of ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and dexamethasone (Dex) upon plasma renin substrate (PRS) was studied in rats in relation to sexual maturation and pituitary function. Normal adult rats had large increases in PRS when given either EE2 or Dex. Prepubescent (25-day-old) rats also had a substantial increase in PRS following Dex, but no increase in PRS after EE2. In adult rats, hypophysectomy prevented the rise in PRS due to EE2 but did not prevent the increase in PRS due to Dex. Hepatic estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors were measured in immature and adult rats. Immature rats had markedly reduced concentration of hepatic estrogen receptors (16%), compared with adults. In contrast, glucocorticoid receptor concentration was not significantly different between immature and adult rats. The results indicate that the effect of estrogens and glucocorticoids upon PRS are mediated by pathways that are separable at the hormone receptor level.