Effect of adrenergic agonists on big and small renin

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Abstract
The effect of .alpha.- and .beta.-adrenergic agonists on renal and submaxillary renin of different MW was studied using male albino mice as experimental animals. Phenylephrine or isoproterenol was administered i.v. after removal of the submaxillary glands and/or kidneys. Renin was isolated from plasma by column chromatography and then measured by a direct radioimmunoassay. Phenylephrine increased both 68,500-dalton renin (big renin) and 38,000-dalton renin (small renin) in the plasma of nephrectomized mice. Isoproterenol increased big and small renin in the plasma of mice whose submaxillary glands were removed. In both cases, the increase of small renin was significantly greater than that of big renin. Apparently the .alpha.-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine affects the submaxillary gland, leading to the increase of both big and small plasma renin; in contrast, the .beta.-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol affects the kidney, leading to the increase of both big and small plasma renin.