Regional distribution of renin and angiotensinogen in the brain of normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats.

The distributions of angiotensinogen and specific renin activity were examined in the brains of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto controls (WKY). Specific renin activity was markedly elevated in the pituitary of SHR compared to WKY. Renin levels in other regions of SHR brain were either significantly lower or similar compared to WKY. In contrast, angiotensinogen was significantly elevated in several regions of SHR compared to WKY brain. These results indicate involvement of a brain renin-angiotensin system in the development of genetic hypertension.