Glandular kallikrein, renin and angiotensin converting enzyme of diabetic and hypertensive rats.

To clarify the relationship between kallikrein-kinin and renin-angiotensin systems, glandular kallikrein, renin and angiotensin converting enzyme in the submandibular gland, the kidney and plasma were investigated in streptozotocin diabetic and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Kallikrein content in the submandibular gland, the kidney and plasma of diabetic rats was found to be decreased compared with nondiabetic controls. Renin activity in diabetic rats was also reduced in the submandibular gland, but the activity showed no significant changes in the kidney and plasma. The activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in plasma significantly increased in diabetic rats. On the other hand, kallikrein content in hypertensive rats was depressed in the kidney, while the content was unchanged in the submandibular gland and plasma. Renin activity in hypertensive rats was found to be higher than that of normotensive rats in the submandibular gland, but the activity showed no remarkable changes in the kidney and plasma. ACE activity in plasma markedly decreased in hypertensive rats in contrast to diabetic rats. In hypertensive-diabetic rats, changes in the levels of these enzymes in tested materials were similar to those of diabetic rats. From these results it is reasonable to assume that (1) reduced kallikrein generation and elevated ACE activity may induce impaired kinin formation and contribute to the development of diabetes mellitus apart from the presence of hypertension and (2) low kallikrein content in the kidney could cause hypertension.