Urinary kallikrein and hypertension in cadmium-exposed rats.

Chronic exposure of rats to cadmium (Cd) in drinking water induced elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Heart rate, however, was lowered, suggesting that the hypertension in these rates may be due to an increase of the total peripheral resistance, possibly involving a central nervous system (CNS) component in Cd-induced hypertension. Urinary kallikrein activity was reduced in the exposed animals and may explain the previously reported antinatriuretic effect of Cd, since renal kallikrein is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of kallidin, a potent vasodilator and natriuretic polypeptide.