Evidence for two independent effects of oestradiol benzoate on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Abstract

Abstract. Plasma renin concentrations (PRC), plasma renin substrate concentration (PRS), plasma aldosterone and cortisol concentrations as well as plama renin activity (PRA) were measured in ovariectomized subjects after im administration of 10 mg oestradiol benzoate (EB). The esterified oestrogen exerts two independent effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. 1) 48 h after EB administration, PRS was significantly increased. Similar results were obtained for total plasma cortisol, reflecting transcortin concentration. In both cases, the increase was quantitatively related to the basal concentrations. These observations are consistent with the well known oestrogen-induced protein synthesis in the liver. 2) The elevation of PRC preceded that of PRS and was already significant 11 h after EB injection. The early rise in plasma renin activity was essentially caused by the increase in PRC, whereas an influence of the activated substrate synthesis was found later, between the 2nd and the 4th day post injection. The time course of plasma aldosterone concentration correlated well with the increased PRA. The results provide evidence that EB has two different effects on the renin-aldosterone axis: an early one by elevating renin release and a delayed one by increasing renin substrate synthesis. Whereas the second mechanism can clearly be localized in the liver, extrarenal as well as direct renal effects of EB may be responsible for the renin stimulation.