BACKGROUND: All renin arises from prorenin. The proportion of renin relative to prorenin could influence overall renin-angiotensin-aldosterone activity. We sought to determine whether prorenin levels were related to extracellular volume, as reflected by the levels of plasma renin activity (PRA), and to aldosterone. METHODS: We analyzed plasma levels of prorenin, renin, and aldosterone, as well as their interactions, in 129 young blacks and whites. RESULTS: Blacks had lower plasma renin concentration (PRC) and PRA, but had prorenin levels similar to whites (69 pg/ml in blacks vs. 62 pg/ml in whites, P = 0.41). As a result, the renin-to-total renin ratio was significantly lower in blacks (11.5% in blacks as compared to 19.8% in whites; P = 0.0001). Because prorenin also resides in tissues including the adrenal where it can bind to a specific receptor to generate angiotensin II, we examined the relationship of prorenin levels to plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC). While a positive association between PRC and PAC was found in both blacks and whites, PAC was positively related to prorenin in whites (P = 0.04) but negatively in blacks, an observation that we hypothesize was due to reduced prorenin-to-renin conversion in blacks. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a disproportionately high level of prorenin in blacks. These high circulating prorenin levels however do not result in greater adrenal angiotensin II and aldosterone production in healthy young blacks.
BACKGROUND: All renin arises from prorenin. The proportion of renin relative to prorenin could influence overall renin-angiotensin-aldosterone activity. We sought to determine whether prorenin levels were related to extracellular volume, as reflected by the levels of plasma renin activity (PRA), and to aldosterone. METHODS: We analyzed plasma levels of prorenin, renin, and aldosterone, as well as their interactions, in 129 young blacks and whites. RESULTS: Blacks had lower plasma renin concentration (PRC) and PRA, but had prorenin levels similar to whites (69 pg/ml in blacks vs. 62 pg/ml in whites, P = 0.41). As a result, the renin-to-total renin ratio was significantly lower in blacks (11.5% in blacks as compared to 19.8% in whites; P = 0.0001). Because prorenin also resides in tissues including the adrenal where it can bind to a specific receptor to generate angiotensin II, we examined the relationship of prorenin levels to plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC). While a positive association between PRC and PAC was found in both blacks and whites, PAC was positively related to prorenin in whites (P = 0.04) but negatively in blacks, an observation that we hypothesize was due to reduced prorenin-to-renin conversion in blacks. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a disproportionately high level of prorenin in blacks. These high circulating prorenin levels however do not result in greater adrenal angiotensin II and aldosterone production in healthy young blacks.
Authors: Wasita W Parksook; Mahyar Heydarpour; Shadi K Gholami; James M Luther; Paul N Hopkins; Luminita H Pojoga; Jonathan S Williams Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2022-04-19 Impact factor: 6.134
Authors: Jia W Tan; Tina Gupta; Worapaka Manosroi; Tham M Yao; Paul N Hopkins; Jonathan S Williams; Gail K Adler; Jose R Romero; Gordon H Williams Journal: JCI Insight Date: 2017-12-07