Role of protease-activated receptor 2 in regulation of renin synthesis and secretion in mice.

It has been reported that the serine protease kallikrein stimulates and that aprotinin, a protease inhibitor, inhibits renal renin secretion. Since direct stimulation of the protease-activated receptor (PAR) 2 increases renin secretion in isolated perfused mouse kidneys, we hypothesized that activation of PAR2 receptors by serine proteases could be involved in the synthesis and secretion of renin in vivo. We therefore determined the response of plasma renin concentration (PRC) to acute intraperitoneal administration of the PAR2 agonist SLIGRL, isoproterenol, hydralazine, furosemide, losartan, or lipopolysaccharide in conscious wild-type (WT) and Par2-deficient mice.