Wong CM, O'Connor DT, Martinez JA, Parmer RJ
Dysregulation of renal kallikrein responses to
mineralocorticoid secretagogues in African Americans
11th Scientific Meeting, American Society of Hypertension
Am J Hypert
(Apr) 9:67A 1996
Renal kallikrein activity is thought to play an important role in
renal vascular and tubular function in both normal an hypertensive
states. Genetic regulation of renal kallikrein activity is thought to
play a major role in determining kallikrein function in the kidney.
In addition previous studies have demonstrated that blacks exhibit
reduced renal kallikrein excretion rates as compared to whites.
In this study, Wong et al probed the effects of alterations in
mineralocorticoid activity on renal kallikrein excretion in normal
black and white subjects. The effects of exogenous K loading, or oral
fludrocortisone as compared with placebo were used to increase
prevailing circulating level of mineralocorticoid. Both maneuvers
increased renal kallikrein excretion in blacks and whites; however,
the response was markedly blunted in blacks. The authors concluded
that the lower response to mineralocorticoid indicates dysregulation
of renal kallikrein in blacks.
Comment: The significance of this observation in this normal
population remains to be determined. It is not clear that the study
cohort is at increased risk for hypertension. If this is the case,
this finding may have implications for the pathogenesis of
hypertension.
(Robert D. Toto, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center)
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11th Scientific Meeting, American Society of Hypertension
H: Special problems :
Ethnic populations
H: Special problems :
Endocrine hypertension