Direct radioimmunoassay for human renin substrate and its measurement in plasma from essential hypertensive patients, diabetic patients and pregnant women.

Abstract

We homogeneously purified human renin substrate from outdated bank plasma and raised antibody against it. The antibody did not cross-react with angiotensin I, angiotensin II or synthetic tetradecapeptide at concentrations of up to 160 nmol, nor did it cross-react with up to 0.2 ml of plasma from rat, rabbit or sheep. It did, however, completely cross-react with human des-angiotensin I renin substrate. A direct radioimmunoassay for human renin substrate was developed using the antibody, and the minimum detectable value of renin substrate found to be 70 pg of protein. Plasma renin substrate concentrations of normal subjects, essential hypertensive patients, diabetic patients and pregnant women were measured by direct and indirect assays. Hypertensive patients had similar concentrations of plasma renin substrate to normal subjects, whereas diabetic patients had significantly lower plasma renin substrate concentrations (p less than 0.01). The direct assay always gave a higher value than the indirect assay, and the ratios of the two assays (direct assay/indirect assay) were similar in normal subjects, hypertensive patients, diabetic patients and pregnant women.