Determinants of interindividual variation of renin and prorenin concentrations

Abstract

These data demonstrate that there is a sexual dimorphism of prorenin levels in humans, suggesting that sex hormones affect the regulation of the renin gene. Data confirm previous reports of elevated prorenin levels in diabetics and older subjects, as well as of lower than normal prorenin levels in subjects with hypertension in smaller populations. Our findings may help to clarify the potential (patho)physiologic functions of prorenin and to identify the factors that influence the constitutive secretion and intracellular processing of this prohormone.