Oxygen-derived radicals stimulate renin release of isolated juxtaglomerular cells.

We assessed effects of reactive oxygen metabolites on renin release of juxtaglomerular cells (JG-cells) prepared in primary culture from mouse kidneys. Renin activity was measured in culture supernatants and cells. Basal renin release was increased by incubation of JG-cells with xanthine/xanthine oxidase from 26 +/- 1% up to 58 +/- 3% of total activity. This increase was slightly inhibited by superoxide dismutase, and was eliminated by addition of catalase, implicating H2O2 as an intermediate product in the stimulatory cascade. H2O2 applied exogenously dose-dependently stimulated renin release up to 55 +/- 2%; this effect was also prevented by catalase. We propose that reactive oxygen metabolites stimulate renin release in isolated JG-cells. This could have important implications in inflammatory kidney diseases.