THE MECHANISM OF THE ACID ACTIVATION OF RABBIT UTERINE RENIN

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Abstract
Besides active renin an inactive form of renin could be demonstrated in uterine tissue. On gel filtration it was eluted as a molecule of slightly higher molecular weight than active renin, and it could be irreversibly activated by acidification at 37°C. The activation had a pH optimum between pH 3.8 and pH 5.3. Acid activated uterine renin was found identical to active uterine renin by 1) the formation of angiotensin I with time after addition of rat substrate, 2) the pressor response in the rat, 3) neutralization by antirenin and 4) similar Michaelian constants. Repeated freezing and thawing, acidification at 4°C and dialysis against 4 mol/l NaCl did not give any activation. A lower rate of activation of diluted samples and activation by trypsin at pH 7.4 suggest that proteolytic enzymes are involved in the activation.

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