Aggression‐provoked renin release from extrarenal and extrasubmaxillary sources in mice

Abstract

In submaxillary sialoadenectomized and nephrectomized mice aggressive behaviour provoked 5 to 40-fold increases in plasma renin concentration. The changes in renin concentration with time were different in different groups of confronted mice with only partial correlation between the pattern and the observable degree of fight. The changes were similar in sialoadenectomized mice with untouched kidneys as in sialoadenectomized and nephrectomized, indicating that aggression causes no measurable, if any, renal renin release. Repeated aggression with 2 hourly intervals provoked repeated renin release from extrarenal and extrasubmaxillary sources. The renin concentrations of different organs showed the same mutual relationship as in other mammals, but were about 10-fold higher. Splenectomy was without effect on the aggression-provoked renin release. Antibodies against pure mouse renin neutralized the renin in plasma and organs, which contained only insignificant, if any, pepsin activatable inactive renin. Adrenaline, apomorphine, carbachol and dihydralazine were as isoprenaline and noradrenaline without effect on renin release in sialoadenectomized and nephrectomized mice.