Urinary kallikrein in the rat: stimulation with angiotensin infusion but depression with increasing sodium concentration

1. The kallikrein response to angiotensin II infusion in the conscious rat was studied to compare it with the response in the dog. 2. Active kallikrein was measured by the aprotinin-suppressible esterase technique in 20 min periods. Angiotensin (5 x 10(-9) to 5 x 10(-2) micrograms min-1) was infused in 10 mM saline in period 10 (group A), or in 90 mM saline in periods 10-12 (group B). 3. In group A, no dose of angiotensin was antinatriuretic. Natriuresis and urinary sodium concentration were dose dependent. 4. Kallikrein excretion was dose dependent with angiotensin (P < 0.0001) and inversely correlated with urinary sodium concentration (P = 0.011). In natriuretic and non-natriuretic rats, kallikrein excretion after angiotensin was inversely correlated with urinary sodium concentration in the preceding period. 5. In group B, natriuresis and urinary sodium concentration were dose dependent. Kallikrein excretion in periods 10-13 was inversely correlated with urinary sodium concentration in the preceding period (P = 0.0001) and inversely correlated with urinary osmolality in periods 9-13. 6. Infusion of angiotensin II at 5 x 10(-6) micrograms min-1 led to antinatriuresis. 7. Formulae were derived which enabled the opposing effects of angiotensin and urinary sodium concentration on kallikrein excretion to be separated. In group A both these effects were statistically significant only in the natriuretic rats (natriuresis > 20 mumols per period). In group B the formulae showed a dose-dependent rise in kallikrein excretion, which was counteracted by the decrease in kallikrein excretion associated with the increasing urinary sodium concentration. 8. With infusions of 0.9% saline, kallikrein excretion in periods 10-13 was inversely correlated with urinary sodium concentration in the preceding period (P = 0.001). 9. The overall effect in the rat differs from that in the dog, where kallikrein increases with angiotensin natriuresis and dilution of the urine occurs.