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It has been suggested that inappropriate stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is responsible for the increase in blood pressure that occurs in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) before the development of renal failure. However, the interpretation of previous studies in ADPKD patients is confounded by inadequate matching with control populations for blood pressure and renal function, or failure to control the sodium intake of participants.A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of two different sodium intakes (350 and 50 mmol/day for 5 days) in a group of 11 hypertensive ADPKD patients and eight matched control subjects with essential hypertension. In addition, blood pressure and hormonal responses were measured after the administration of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril for 3 days.Blood pressure and hormonal responses of the RAS after a reduction in sodium intake and after the administration of enalapril were identical in ADPKD patients and controls.Activation of the classic circulating RAS is no greater in hypertensive ADPKD patients than in individuals with essential hypertension.

Introduction: The sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE) is integral to the processes that facilitate cell growth and may contribute to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between platelet sodium-hydrogen exchanger activity and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Methods: Twenty male untreated Caucasians (mean age ± s.d.: 48 ± 13; body mass index: 29 ± 4 kg/m2) with a wide range of blood pressures were studied (mean BP: 152 ± 22/93 ± 15 mm Hg; range: 115–190/61–117 mm Hg). Sodium-hydrogen exchanger activity was determined as the rate of sodium-dependent recovery of intracellular pH in isolated platelets loaded with BCECF and acidified to pH 6.25 using nigericin. LVMI was calculated from measurements made by M-mode echocardiography. Associations between continuous variables were examined using parametric tests. Results: The mean rate of pHi recovery was 0.15 ± 0.03 dpHi/s (range: 0.09–0.21). Mean LVMI was 120 ± 32 g/m2 (range: 56–178) and was not significantly correlated with either systolic (r = 0.39, P = 0.09) or diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.27, P = 0.3). Platelet NHE activity was not significantly correlated with LVMI (r = 0.06; P = 0.8). Platelet NHE activity was not significantly different between subjects with (n = 7 with LVMI >131 g/m2) and without left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 13). Conclusions: The results of this study show that platelet NHE activity is not significantly correlated with LVMI. These data contrast with previously described correlations of LVMI with exchanger activity measured in leucocytes and erythrocytes; and indicate that the relationship between LVMI and exchanger activity may be specific to the cell type in which exchanger activity is measured.

Abnormalities in acid-base regulation have previously been reported both in hypertensive humans and animals and a link between abnormalities in renal sodium handling and acid excretion may be particularly important in black hypertensives. The objectives of this study were to compare indices of urinary acid excretion (urinary pH, ammonium and titratable acid excretion) between normotensives and hypertensive people of African origin. Measurements were carried out in 86 black individuals of African origin in a case-control design (19 normotensive; 67 hypertensive). Of these, 17 normotensive and 17 patients with essential hypertension were matched for age, sex and weight. Group comparisons were carried out by unpaired t-tests or two-way analysis of variance and group values are given as means +/- s.d. Urinary pH was significantly higher in the hypertensives both in the unmatched groups and in the matched groups. In the 17 matched pairs: urinary pH in the hypertensive individuals was 6.36 +/- 0.54 and 5.84 +/- 0. 53 in the normotensives, respectively; P = 0.007. Additionally, urinary titratable acidity was significantly lower in the hypertensives than in the normotensives (25.4 +/- 13.7 vs16.7 +/- 10. 7 mmol/24 h; P = 0.047) but there were no significant differences in urinary ammonium excretion. The mechanisms for the apparent reduction in acid excretion in the hypertensives is not clear but these results highlight the possibility that hypertension in blacks is associated with abnormalities of renal sodium and hydrogen exchange with compensatory increases in renal ammonium production.

Hormonal and renal effects of candoxatril, a neutral endopeptidase 24.11 inhibitor, were investigated in eight subjects equilibrated on a low sodium diet (10 mmol sodium per day) and a high sodium (350 mmol per day) diet. After candoxatril treatment, plasma ANP increased to a maximum at 2-4 h and declined to baseline within 24 h. The increases were relatively greater on the high sodium diet, which was also associated with increases in urinary sodium, with highest values at 4h. On the low sodium diet, the magnitude of the changes was significantly lower (24 h cumulative sodium excretion was 11.4 +/- 5.5 mmol on the low sodium diet and 73.1 +/- 25.6 mmol on the high sodium diet; P < 0.01). There were no significant effects on urinary potassium excretion, creatinine clearance or haematocrit. After candoxatril treatment there were reductions in PRA, especially on the low sodium diet. On either diet there were no effects on systemic blood pressure. These results demonstrate that dietary sodium intake is an important determinant of the renal and hormonal responses to neutral endopeptidase inhibition.

The apolipoprotein C3-482C> T variant modulates insulin and glucose concentrations after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in young healthy white men. We evaluated the effect of this variant in different ethnic groups with different rates of Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.We investigated the -482C > T in a population-based cross-sectional study of white subjects (n = 462), South Asians (n = 442) and subjects of West African and Afro-Caribbean origin (n = 462), whose OGTT and fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations had been measured.The -482T allele frequency differed between the three groups: 0.25 (95 \% CI 0.22-0.28) in white subjects, 0.44 (0.41-0.47) in South Asians and 0.71 (0.68-0.74) in black subjects (p < 0.0001). A positive association was found between body mass index and genotype in black women (p = 0.009) and in black men (p = 0.056) but not in white subjects or South Asians. Associations between -482C > T and fasting insulin were found in white subjects, where -482T allele carriers had higher concentrations (adjusted for age and sex, p = 0.007, also including smoking and body mass index, p = 0.038). Higher triglyceride concentrations (p = 0.004 and p = 0.007 in the two models) but not glucose concentrations were also associated with -482C > T. In black subjects, decreased fasting insulin (p = 0.04) and fasting glucose (p = 0.004) were associated with -482C > T. No relation was observed between genotype and any post-load measured. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION. Allele frequencies of the -482C > T and associations with insulin, glucose and triglyceride concentrations vary considerably among ethnic groups. Although the results are consistent among white subjects across different studies, the associations among black subjects and South Asians differ.

1. The aim of this study was to determine plasma levels of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide in normal subjects and in patients with essential hypertension, cardiac transplant and chronic renal failure, using radioimmunoassays directed towards the mid-portion pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) of the N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide (99-126). The circulating form(s) of the immunoreactive N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide in plasma extracts has been investigated using all three radioimmunoassays by means of gel filtration chromatography to further clarify the major immunoreactive molecular circulating form(s) of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide in man. 2. The plasma level (mean ± SEM) of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) in the normal subjects was 547.2 ± 32.7 pg/ml (n = 36) and was significantly elevated in patients with essential hypertension (730.2 ± 72.3 pg/ml, P < 0.025, n = 39), in cardiac transplant recipients (3214.0 ± 432.2 pg/ml, P < 0.001, n = 9) and in patients with chronic renal failure (3571.8 ± 474.1 pg/ml, P < 0.001, n = 11). Plasma levels of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) and atrial natriuretic peptide were similarly elevated in the same patient groups when compared with the mean plasma values in the normal subjects. 3. There were positive associations between pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and atrial natriuretic peptide, pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) and between pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) and atrial natriuretic peptide in the normal subjects, hypertensive patients, cardiac transplant recipients and patients with chronic renal failure. The correlation coefficient for all groups taken together was 0.86 (P < 0.001. n = 95) for pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and atrial natriuretic peptide, 0.93 (P < 0.001, n = 95) for pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30), and 0.82 (p < 0.001, n = 95) for pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) and atrial natriuretic peptide. 4. Gel filtration of extracted plasma from cardiac transplant patients and patients with chronic renal failure indicated a single peak of immunoreactivity for N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide using both the pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) radioimmunoassays, suggesting a major single high-molecular-mass circulating immunoreactive N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide, probably pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-98). Atrial natriuretic peptide immunoreactivity, as measured by the radioimmunoassay for atrial natriuretic peptide (99-126), showed a separate and distinct peak from that of the N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide, which co-eluted with the synthetic human standard atrial natriuretic peptide (99-126). 5. These results show that immunoreactive N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide are elevated in patients with essential hypertension, in cardiac transplant recipients and in patients with chronic renal failure. The major immunoreactive form of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide cross-reacting in both the pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) radioimmunoassays is of a high molecular mass, probably pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-98). Since pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-98) is unlikely to cross-react identically with antibodies for pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) or pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30), this could account for the differences in plasma levels obtained by the assays for pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30).

We examined the role of circulating angiotensin II (ANG II) in the excretion of an acute Na+ load in eight healthy subjects given 2 liters 0.9% saline in a placebo-controlled crossover study. On the control day, plasma ANG II decreased to 40-60% of basal values and 35 +/- 9 (SE) mmol of Na+ was excreted in the 5 h after the start of saline infusion. When ANG II was infused to maintain plasma ANG II levels at around basal values (6.6 +/- 1.6 pmol/l), only 7 +/- 8 mmol of Na+ was excreted in the same period (P < 0.05). In a previous similar study in which the fall in aldosterone was prevented by infusion of aldosterone, 16 +/- 16 mmol of Na+ was excreted vs. 36 +/- 16 mmol on the control day in comparable 5-h periods. Suppression of ANG II is one of the major factors permitting the acute increase in Na+ excretion after an intravenous Na+ load. ANG II has direct actions on Na+ excretion in addition to its effects on aldosterone.

The lower serum triglyceride (Tg), higher high density cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and low coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in black populations, contrast with that in whites. By comparison, South Asian populations display a higher mortality from CHD associated with increased Tg and low HDL-C levels. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a major role in Tg metabolism. To determine if variation in the LPL gene contributes to the differences in lipid levels, we studied the frequencies and allelic associations of five common variants in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene (-93T/G, D9N, N291S, S447X, and the HinddIII RFLP in intron 8) with serum Tg and HDL-cholesterol concentrations in population samples of middle-aged men and women of whites, South Asians, and blacks of African origin co-resident in South London. Significantly higher frequencies of the H(-) (P < 0.00001), N9 (P < 0.001), and -93G (P < 10(-10)) alleles were seen in blacks compared to the other two groups. Allelic association between -93G and N9, and H(+) and X447 was strong in all three groups. However, no association was observed between serum Tg and HDL-cholesterol concentrations and these variants in the three ethnic groups. A single common polymorphism in the LPL gene is unlikely to account for the differences in fasting serum Tg in populations of different ethnic background. The importance of the differences in frequencies and the mechanism(s) whereby these may contribute towards a beneficial LPL genotype in black populations remain to be determined.

1. We have developed a radioimmunoassay for the measurement of immunoreactive brain natriuretic peptide (1–32) in human plasma. Simultaneous measurements of atrial natriuretic peptide have also been carried out to allow for direct comparison between circulating brain natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide. Plasma levels of immunoreactive brain natriuretic peptide (means ± sem) were 1.1 ± 0.1 pmol/l in 36 normal healthy subjects and were significantly elevated in cardiac transplant recipients (18.8 ± 3.9 pmol/l, n = 12) and in patients with dialysis-independent (8.8 ± 1.5 pmol/l, n = 11) or dialysis-dependent (41.6 ± 8.8 pmol/l, n = 14) chronic renal failure. Similarly, in these groups of patients plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide were also significantly raised when compared with those in the group of normal healthy subjects. 2. The plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide was significantly higher than that of brain natriuretic peptide in normal subjects and in patients with dialysis-independent chronic renal failure, with ratios (atrial natriuretic peptide/brain natriuretic peptide) of 2.8 ± 0.2 and 2.2 ± 0.3, respectively. However, in both cardiac transplant recipients and patients on dialysis plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide were similar, with ratios of 1.3 ± 0.2 and 1.0 ± 0.1, respectively, in these two groups. 3. Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide were significantly correlated in the healthy subjects and within each group of patients. When all groups were taken together, there was an overall correlation of 0.90 (P 4. Patients on dialysis had the highest plasma levels of both brain natriuretic peptide (41.6 ± 8.8 pmol/l, n = 14) and atrial natriuretic peptide (41.3 ± 9.4 pmol/l, n = 14) and the levels of both peptides declined significantly after maintenance haemodialysis. However, the overall percentage decrease in the plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide (43.6 ± 7.5%) after dialysis was significantly greater than that observed for brain natriuretic peptide (15.9 ± 5.3%, P 5. Displacement curves of iodinated atrial natriuretic peptide from bovine adrenal membranes by human atrial natriuretic peptide (99–126) and human brain natriuretic peptide (1–32) gave a median inhibitory concentration of 144 pmol/l for atrial natriuretic peptide and 724.4 pmol/l for brain natriuretic peptide. The cross-reactivity of human brain natriuretic peptide with the atrial natriuretic peptide receptor preparation was 19.5% of that of atrial natriuretic peptide, indicating that human brain natriuretic peptide has a lower binding affinity for the atrial natriuretic peptide receptor/binding site on bovine adrenal membranes. 6. These results suggest that brain natriuretic peptide is co-secreted with atrial natriuretic peptide and may also be an important factor in the adaptive mechanisms to impairment of renal function. However, whether brain natriuretic peptide has an independent and fundamentally important role in man remains to be investigated.

1. The possible natriuretic and kaliuretic effects of a single dose of lithium, as used in lithium clearance studies, were investigated in 15 healthy subjects on fixed sodium (100 mmol/24 h) and potassium (70 mmol/24 h) intakes. Lithium carbonate (300 mg or 600 mg) or placebo tablets were administered, double-blind and in random order, midway through a 48 h urine collection (divided into six 8 h periods), at 23.00 hours. 2. During the three 24 h periods which preceded the administration of lithium or placebo (control days), rates of sodium and potassium excretion followed normal circadian patterns, but no differences in excretion rates between the 3 control days were observed. Placebo tablets did not affect excretion rates. 3. After the 300 mg dose of lithium carbonate, 24 h sodium excretion increased by approximately 17 mmol (P < 0.05); almost all of the natriuretic effect occurred during the first two 8 h periods. No effect on potassium excretion was observed. 4. After the 600 mg dose of lithium carbonate, 24 h sodium excretion increased by approximately 48 mmol (P < 0.001) and 24 h potassium excretion increased by approximately 19 mmol (P < 0.01). These effects were confined to the first two 8 h periods and thus occurred before and during the usual lithium clearance period. 5. Plasma renin activity, measured in 10 subjects, increased after the 600 mg dose of lithium carbonate (P < 0.005), but plasma concentrations of aldosterone and atrial natriuretic peptide were not significantly affected. Neither the 300 mg dose of lithium carbonate nor the placebo tablets affected hormone levels. 6. It is recommended that the test dose of lithium carbonate for use in lithium clearance studies should not exceed 300 mg.

The kinetics of urinary sodium excretion was studied during sodium restriction and sodium supplementation in normal subjects. Eight were studied on a normal sodium intake (24 h urinary sodium: 133.3 + 9.6 mmol) and then during 6 days on a low sodium intake of 10 mmol/day. Six other subjects were studied after equilibration on the low sodium intake for 7 days and then during 5 days on a high sodium intake of 350 mmol/day. 24 h urinary sodium excretion during sodium restriction was consistent with a first-order exponential process with an estimated half-life of 21.8 + 2.4 hours. During sodium supplementation there were corresponding increases in urinary sodium excretion reaching the new steady-state within 3 days but the behaviour of the urinary sodium excretion during the transition period was not consistent with a mono-exponential process. These observations support the concept that the control of sodium balance, during sodium restriction at least, is consistent with a first order proportional feed-back system. This kinetic approach should provide a useful framework for further studies on the dynamics of sodium excretion.

The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are differences between black and white individuals with regard to the membrane fluidity of isolated erythrocytes, and/or in the relationships between membrane fluidity, gender and circulating lipids. Fluorescent polarization anisotropy, as an index of membrane fluidity, was determined using the fluorescent probe 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) in 52 black and 52 white individuals, of whom 39 pairs were matched for age, sex and blood pressure. In the 39 matched pairs, the TMA-DPH anisotropy was significantly higher in the black (0.262+/-0.007) compared with the white (0.258+/-0.005) subjects (P0.005). There was also a significant difference in serum lipids. Gender differences in TMA-DPH anisotropy were observed in the white but not in the black individuals. The associations between membrane fluidity and serum lipids were examined in the total group, separated according to ethnic group. Although the associations were in the same direction in both groups, the association was only significant in the white subjects (r= - 0.42; P0.02). The ethnic difference in membrane fluidity was abolished when adjusting for serum triacylglycerols. In conclusion, ethnic differences in erythrocyte membrane fluidity, as determined by the use of TMA-DPH anisotropy, appear to be the result of ethnic differences in the level of serum triacylglycerols.

Background: Hypertension is associated with increased urinary calcium excretion (UCa). A high sodium intake increases both UCa and blood pressure (BP). However, it is not clear whether these effects are modified by gender or ethnic origin. Objectives: To examine the relationships between BP, urinary sodium (UNa), gender and ethnic origin with both daily and fasting UCa in a population-based study. Design and Methods: Out of 1577 individuals taking part in a cross-sectional survey, 743 were considered for the present analysis (407 women, 336 men) as they were all untreated, had provided a complete 24-h urine collection, and had all measurements of anthropometry, BP, UNa and UCa. They were 277 whites, 227 of black African origin and 239 South Asians. Comparisons were also carried out in the 690 participants who also provided 3-h fasting urine collections. Results: After adjustment for confounders including age, and gender, 24-h UCa was significantly and independently associated with ethnic origin, BP and UNa. Mean 24-h UCa was 4.62 (s.e. 0.11) mmol/d in whites, 3.33 (0.12) in South Asians and 3.16 (0.13) in blacks (P

Polymorphisms of the epithelial sodium channel may raise blood pressure by increasing renal sodium reabsorption. This study examines frequency distributions and associations with hypertension of the T594M and of the G442V polymorphisms of the beta subunit of the epithelial sodium channel in a population-based sample. We studied a stratified random sample of 459 subjects (279 women), aged 40-59 years, of black African origin from general practices' lists within a defined area of South London. All were first generation immigrants. The polymorphic variants were detected using single strand conformational polymorphism technique (SSCP). The prevalence of hypertension (BPor =160 and/or 95 mm Hg or on drug therapy) was 43%; of these, 76% were on drug therapy. The main analysis was carried out by three ordered blood pressure categories (I to III) according to increasing blood pressure and presence or absence of drug therapy. The frequency of the 594M variant (heterozygotes and homozygotes) was 4.6%; the frequency of the 442V variant was higher (27.0%). The frequency of the 594M variant increased with increasing blood pressure category (P = 0.05) and was more common in hypertensives than normotensives. By contrast the frequency of the 442V variant did not vary across increasing blood pressure categories (P = 0.62). No gender difference was observed. Adjustment for age, sex and body mass index did not alter these findings. These results suggest that the 594M variant may contribute to high blood pressure in black people of African origin whereas the G442V polymorphism is unlikely to influence blood pressure in this population.

Previous studies have reported tight linkage disequilibrium between the T235 and the A(-6) molecular variants of the angiotensinogen gene. This study was designed primarily to ascertain whether a similar relationship exists between the M235 and the G(-6) variants of the gene. We have investigated the degree of agreement between the genotypes of the M235T and the G(-6)A polymorphisms in two ethnic groups.Subjects were an heterogeneous group of normotensive and hypertensive subjects of Caucasian (n = 77) and Afro-Caribbean (n = 51) origin. DNA was extracted from whole blood and was genotyped for both the M235T and G(-6)A polymorphisms using PCR-based methods.The distribution frequencies of the MM, MT, and TT genotypes were 0.39, 0.42, and 0.20 in white subjects, and 0.09, 0.17, and 0.74 in black subjects, respectively (chi-square, P0.0001). The distribution of AA, GA, and GG genotypes also differed between the two groups as follows: 0.22, 0.48, and 0.30 in white subjects, and 0.82 and 0.18 and 0 in black subjects respectively (chi-square, P0.0001). The agreement for TT-AA, MT-GA, and MM-GG was 93%, 91%, and 76% respectively in white and 100%, 67% and 0% respectively in black subjects.The results indicate ethnic differences in the distribution of both M235T and G(-6)A genotypes. The trend towards a decrease in the degree of agreement in the order of TT-AAMT-GAMM-GG suggests that linkage disequilibrium between the M235 and G-6 variant does not mirror that observed with the T235 and A-6 variants. These observations may have significant implications regarding the associations between the G(-6)A polymorphism and hypertension. However, this needs to be further investigated.

This study has examined the association between circulating atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), plasma cyclic GMP and urinary cyclic GMP in relation to hypertension and reduced renal function in 30 normotensives, in 30 patients with essential hypertension and in 22 patients with stable dialysis-independent chronic renal failure (CRF). Plasma ANP was significantly raised (about two-three-fold) in the CRF group compared with the hypertensive and normal groups; plasma cyclic GMP was also significantly raised in the CRF group (median group values: 4.6, 5.8 and 11.0 pmol/ml, respectively, for the normal, hypertensive and CRF groups). There were no significant differences in urinary cyclic GMP between the normotensives and hypertensives but urinary cyclic GMP was significantly reduced in the patients with CRF (median group values: 407.1, 450.9 and 247.8 pmol/min for the normal, hypertensive and CRF groups, respectively, P0.001). In the subjects with CRF, the clearance of cyclic GMP was reduced in proportion to the clearance of creatinine, but there was no significant difference in the fractional excretion of cyclic GMP (median group values: 78.1% in the normal group, 78.9% in the hypertensive group and 70.2% in the CRF group). In all groups, there was no association between circulating ANP and urinary cyclic GMP: By contrast, there was a positive association between plasma ANP and plasma cyclic GMP (r = 0.39 P0.001) that was independent of blood pressure or renal function. These results demonstrate that while a substantial amount of urinary cyclic GMP originates from the glomerular filtrate, to some extent, raised plasma ANP also contributes to the circulating levels of cyclic GMP. However, plasma cyclic GMP cannot be taken as a direct substitute for plasma ANP.

Summary Background Liddle's syndrome is a rare inherited form of hypertension in which mutations of the epithelial sodium channel result in increased renal sodium reabsorption. Essential hypertension in black patients also shows clinical features of sodium retention so we screened black people for the T594M mutation, the most commonly identified sodium-channel mutation. Methods In a case-control study, 206 hypertensive (mean age 48·0 [SD 11·8] years, men:women 80:126) and 142 normotensive (48·7 [7·4] years; 61:81) black people who lived in London, UK, were screened for T594M. Part of the last exon of the epithelial sodium-channel β subunit from genomic DNA was amplified by PCR. The T594M variant was detected by single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis of PCR products and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Findings 17 (8·3%) of 206 hypertensive participants compared with three (2·1%) of 142 normotensive participants possessed the T594M variant (odds ratio [OR]=4·17 [95% Cl 1·12–18·25], p=0·029). A high proportion of participants with the T594M variant were women (15 of 17 hypertensive participants and all three normotensive participants), whereas women comprised a lower proportion of the individuals screened (61·2% hypertensive, 57·7% normotensive). However, the association between the T594M variant and hypertension persisted after adjustment for sex and body-mass index (Mantel-Haenszel OR=5·52 [1·40–30·61], p=0·012). Plasma renin activity was significantly lower in 13 hypertensive participants with the T594M variant (median=0·19 ng mL −1 h −1 ) than in 39 untreated hypertensive individuals without the variant (median=0·45 ng mL −1 h −1 , p=0·009). Interpretation Among black London people the T594M sodium-channel β subunit mutation occurs more frequently in people with hypertension than those without. The T594M variant may increase sodium-channel activity and could raise blood pressure in affected people by increasing renal tubular sodium reabsorption. These findings suggest that the T594M mutation could be the most common secondary cause of essential hypertension in black people identified to date.

1225). Supine BP was taken as the mean value of Introduction five readings obtained at 1–2 min intervals. There is considerable evidence to suggest that nitric oxide (NO) could be an important factor in the control of blood pressure (BP). However, there is Statistics controversy over the role of NO as a determinant of Group values are given as means ± s.d. Associations hypertension. were tested using Pearson correlation coefficients The objective of this study was to examine the and group comparisons using unpaired t-tests. A P association between NO activity and essential value of ,0.05 was taken as significant. hypertension. Plasma and urinary nitrate have been used as an index of endogenous NO as nitrate is one end-product of NO oxidation. Results

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of changes in sodium intake in patients with untreated mild essential hypertension on the hormonal (plasma renin activity and aldosterone) and renal tubular responses to short-term hyperinsulinemia as achieved by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Fourteen patients with essential hypertension (mean age, 46 years; average blood pressure (BP), 151/96 mm Hg) were studied. After a 1 week run-in period on their usual diet they entered a randomized double-blind crossover study of a week of low (10 mmol/day) vs a week of high (350 mmol/day) sodium intake. On the last day of each diet they underwent a standard 2-h OGTT. Blood and urines were taken hourly and segmental tubular sodium handling was assessed by the endogenous lithium clearance. The results demonstrate that the plasma insulin and glucose response to a short-term oral glucose load were not influenced significantly by the changes in dietary sodium intake. However, the glucose load was associated with marked renal sodium retention in the absence of any change in systemic BP. The reduction in renal sodium excretion was independent of circulating aldosterone but appeared to be due to an increase in renal distal tubular re-absorption.

The objectives of this study were to assess relations between ACE gene I/D polymorphism, essential hypertension, plasma renin activity and aldosterone in white (European descent) and black (Afro-Caribbean descent) peoples. Measurements were carried out on a total of 320 subjects (210 white: 116 men, 94 women; 110 black: 65 men, 45 women); all were on their usual sodium intake; none was on anti-hypertensive therapy and none had secondary hypertension. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood cells and ACE I/D genotype was established using polymerase chain reaction. Plasma hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay and blood pressure (BP) with an ultrasound sphygmomanometer. All subjects were grouped into normotensive, borderline and hypertensive according to WHO guidelines. The distribution of the I/D genotype in the white people was approximately 1:2:1; by contrast, in the Afro-Caribbean people there was a significantly higher frequency of the D allele (chi 2P = 0.04). Within the white people there was no significant association between ACE genotype and high BP; however, within the black people there was a positive association between the frequency of the D allele and increasing BP ( chi 2 for trend P = 0.03). In either group, there were no associations between ACE I/D genotype and plasma renin activity and aldosterone suggesting that ACE genotype does not contribute to the expression of the circulating renin-angiotensin system. This study highlights differences in ACE I/D polymorphism between white and black peoples and suggests the possibility of racial differences in the association between ACE genotype and BP.

To measure calcium,magnesium-ATPase (Ca-ATPase) activity and membrane fluidity in patients with essential hypertension compared with normotensive subjects; to investigate the interrelationship between membrane fluidity and the activity of the Ca-ATPase; and to assess the importance of circulating lipids on the Ca-ATPase and membrane fluidity.Ca-ATPase and membrane fluidity were measured in erythrocyte membranes. Kinetic parameters [maximal activity (Vmax), apparent dissociation constant and allosteric number] of the Ca-ATPase activity were measured, in the presence of saturating calmodulin, in 38 normotensives and 57 essential hypertensives. Fluorescent polarization anisotropy, as an index of membrane fluidity, was measured, using the fluorescent probes 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and trimethylammonium DPH (TMA-DPH) in 37 normotensives and 44 hypertensives. Of these 22 were paired for age, sex and race.There was no significant difference in the Vmax and allosteric number of the Ca-ATPase between the normotensives and hypertensives, but there was a trend for the hypertensives to have a reduced calcium affinity. In contrast, hypertensive subjects had significantly lower membrane fluidity. Sex and serum triglycerides level were important determinants of membrane fluidity in both groups. Comparisons between normotensives and hypertensives demonstrated decreased fluidity in the hypertensives independent of sex and serum triglycerides level, although the differences, especially with TMA-DPH, were more pronounced in the females. In both groups there were negative correlations between Vmax and both DPH and TMA-DPH anisotropy.The present study demonstrates that essential hypertension is associated with a generalized alteration in the erythrocyte membrane physical and chemical properties. However, despite the positive correlation between Vmax and membrane fluidity, the present study also demonstrates that essential hypertension is not associated with a major abnormality in the activity of the erythrocyte Ca-ATPase in isolated membranes.

To examine the changes in plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension on a low, normal and high sodium intake.Twelve patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were studied. Plasma, urinary and blood pressure measurements were made with the patients on their usual sodium intake, then on the fifth day of a low (10 mmol/day) and on the fifth day of a high (350 mmol/day) sodium intake, the sequence being allocated randomly.Plasma levels of BNP and ANP increased significantly on the high sodium intake compared with when the patients were on their normal diet. The mean blood pressure on the high sodium intake was not significantly different from that with the patients on their normal diet. In contrast, plasma BNP and ANP decreased on the low sodium intake, but were not significantly different compared with when the patients were on their normal diet. However, there was a significant reduction in the mean blood pressure on the low sodium intake compared with when the patients were on their normal diet. Compared with the normal diet, BNP and ANP plasma levels showed similar percentage decreases on the low sodium intake and similar percentage increases on the high sodium intake.These findings suggest that BNP and ANP are released in response to a common stimulus during changes in dietary sodium intake. The changes in plasma BNP and ANP observed with sodium restriction and sodium loading indicate the potential importance of BNP and ANP as a dual peptide system contributing to the maintenance of sodium balance and blood pressure regulation in patients with essential hypertension, during changes in dietary sodium intake.

BACKGROUND The role of cardiac extrinsic innervation in the regulation of sodium balance and blood pressure is controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a double-blind study of endocrine and blood pressure responses to 5 days of low- (LS, 10 mmol/d) and 5 days of high- (350 mmol/d) sodium intake in 12 cardiac transplant recipients, 12 matched healthy subjects, and 12 matched subjects with untreated essential hypertension. In transplant recipients on low sodium, supine blood pressure was 137/94 +/- 8/4 (mean +/- SEM) mm Hg and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was 59.3 +/- 6.3 pg/mL; on high sodium, blood pressure was 148/97 +/- 5/3 mmHg (P < .05 for systolic pressure versus LS), and ANP was 94.3 +/- 10.6 pg/mL (P < .01 versus LS), respectively. Plasma ANP for those on each diet was significantly higher in the cardiac transplant recipients than in healthy or hypertensive controls; relative changes in plasma ANP in changing from low- to high-sodium diet were similar in each group. Urinary sodium excretion by the fifth day of each diet was similar in each group. Suppression of plasma renin activity and aldosterone by high-sodium diet was blunted in cardiac transplant recipients compared with healthy subjects (respectively, plasma renin activity: 1.41 +/- 0.30 versus 0.68 +/- 0.21 ng.mL-1 x h-1, P < .05; aldosterone: 391 +/- 35 versus 166 +/- 21 pmol/L, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that extensive denervation of the heart does not result in major abnormalities in regulation of large changes in sodium intake and that intact cardiac innervation is not required for plasma ANP responses to altered sodium intake. Blood pressure after cardiac transplantation is sensitive to reduced sodium intake.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between erythrocyte Na-Li countertransport, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in a population-based study, in a cross-sectional observation of a randomly selected sample of a male working population, conducted at the Medical Care Center at the Olivetti Factory in Pozzuoli (Naples). One hundred and seventy-nine male employees aged 45.3 +/- 6.8 years (mean +/- SD), all on unrestricted diet and on no pharmacological treatment were studied. Statistical associations between Na-Li countertransport activity and the hormonal factors being studied were investigated, with control for the possible confounding effects of age, BP and sodium intake. Na-Li countertransport was significantly and positively associated with plasma aldosterone concentration (r = 0.228, P0.01) but not with PRA or plasma ANP. Men in the highest quartile of the Na-Li countertransport distribution had significantly higher plasma aldosterone levels than men in the other quartiles (P0.01) and this difference was independent of age, body mass, PRA, urinary sodium excretion and blood pressure. It is concluded that plasma aldosterone levels are enhanced and disproportionately high relative to plasma renin activity in individuals with high Na-Li countertransport, independently of known potential confounders.

1. The present study was designed to investigate the relationships between circulating atrial natriuretic peptide, plasma and urinary cyclic GMP and sodium excretion under basal conditions and in response to changes in dietary sodium intake. 2. Measurements of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and plasma and urinary (24 h collections) cyclic GMP, sodium and creatinine were made in (i) 30 normotensive subjects on their normal sodium intake and (ii) 12 subjects on the 5th day of a low and on the 5th day of a high sodium intake. 3. Plasma cyclic GMP, urinary cyclic GMP and fractional excretion of cyclic GMP in 30 normotensive subjects on their normal sodium intake were (means ± SEM) 5.4 ± 0.5 pmol/ml, 434.5 ± 31.8 pmol/min and 86.9 ± 8.6%, respectively. There were significant correlations between urinary cyclic GMP and its corresponding filtered load (r = 0.55) and between the renal clearance of cyclic GMP and that of creatinine (r = 0.44), but there were no significant associations between circulating atrial natriuretic peptide and plasma cyclic GMP or the fractional excretion of cyclic GMP or between urinary sodium and the fractional excretion of cyclic GMP. 5. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was significantly raised on the 5th day of the high sodium intake compared with the low sodium intake (10.6 ± 1.6 versus 4.2 ± 0.9 pg/ml; P 6. As neither plasma nor urinary cyclic GMP was strongly associated with circulating levels of atrial natriuretic peptide, the present study suggests that other factors may be more important than circulating atrial natriuretic peptide as determinants of extracellular cyclic GMP.

We have developed a radioimmunoassay for the measurement of immunoreactive BNP (1-32) in human plasma. Simultaneous measurement of ANP have also been carried out to allow for direct comparison between circulating BNP and ANP. Plasma levels of immunoreactive BNP (means +/- SEM) were 1.1 +/- 0.1 pmol/l in 36 normal healthy subjects and were significantly elevated in 50 patients with essential hypertension (1.6 +/- 0.2 pmol/l, P0.02). Similarly, in patients with essential hypertension plasma levels of ANP were also significantly raised (5.5 +/- 0.6 pmol/l, P0.001) when compared with the group of normal healthy subjects (2.8 +/- 0.2 pmol/l). ANP was significantly higher than BNP in normal subjects and in patients with essential hypertension, with ANP/BNP ratios of 2.8 +/- 0.2 and 3.8 +/- 0.3, respectively, in these two groups. A major finding was a significant and positive association between plasma levels of both BNP and ANP within the healthy subjects (r = 0.49, P0.05, n = 36) and within the hypertensive subjects (r = 0.76, P0.001, n = 50). When all plasma values for BNP and ANP were taken together for both groups, there was an overall correlation coefficient of 0.65 (P0.001, n = 86). Both BNP and ANP had significant positive associations with age in hypertensive patients, with correlation coefficients of 0.53 (P0.001, n = 50) and of 0.53 (P0.001, n = 50) for BNP and ANP, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The aim of this study was to determine platelet intracellular free calcium with respect to age, sex, race, and agonist stimulation in patients with essential hypertension compared with normotensive subjects. Intracellular free calcium was measured, using Fura-2-AM, in 42 normotensive and 52 patients with untreated essential hypertension. Of these, 22 pairs were age, sex, and race matched. The intracellular free calcium response to agonist stimulation was measured in the presence of 1 mumol/L arginine vasopressin (AVP). Intracellular calcium was significantly raised in patients with hypertension in both the matched and unmatched groups with values (means +/- SEM) in the matched group of 68.4 +/- 2.6 nmol/L for the hypertensives and 60.2 +/- 2.1 nmol/L for the normotensives (n = 22; Por = .02) and in the unmatched group of 63.3 +/- 1.8 nmol/L (n = 52) and 57.6 +/- 1.4 nmol/L (n = 42, Por = .02), respectively. There was no sex difference but intracellular calcium was significantly lower in black hypertensives compared with white hypertensives (P.005). A significant correlation with blood pressure was only observed in the combined normotensive and hypertensive group (r = 0.23; P = .030). There was no significant correlation with age in any group (even when excluding the black individuals), but in the hypertensive group there was a significant correlation with serum cholesterol (r = 0.34, P = .02; n = 46).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We studied the effect of amlodipine, a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, on blood pressure, urinary sodium excretion, plasma renin activity, aldosterone and atrial natriuretic peptide in six patients (aged 47-63 yrs) with essential hypertension. Patients were placed on a fixed sodium intake of 150 mmol/day. After a control period, amlodipine 10 mg/day was given for two weeks. There was a gradual reduction in supine BP over the first two days of treatment, from 165/103 +/- 5/4 mmHg to 137/92 +/- 6/4 mmHg (P less than 0.001) and BP remained at this level during treatment. Three days after amlodipine was stopped the BP was still reduced at 136/87 +/- 5/4 mmHg but was back to pretreatment levels two weeks later. Plasma amlodipine rose after two weeks of treatment to 29.7 +/- 4.7 ng/ml but had only decreased to 15.0 +/- 3.4 ng/ml three days after the treatment was withdrawn. During the first two days of treatment there was no evidence of an increase in urinary sodium excretion and when amlodipine was withdrawn there was no evidence of sodium retention. Plasma renin activity increased from 1.26 +/- 0.30 to 2.99 +/- 0.68 ng/ml/h (P less than 0.001) and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide fell from 19.3 +/- 7.0 to 11.4 +/- 3.8 pg/ml (P less than 0.03) with two weeks of treatment. This study demonstrates that amlodipine is a long-acting calcium antagonist with a slow onset of action and a slow end of action after withdrawal. This makes it difficult to detect alterations in sodium balance when assessed by changes in urinary sodium excretion. However, one explanation for the increase in plasma renin activity and fall in atrial natriuretic peptide is a small reduction in total body sodium.

1. Aldosterone is suppressed by sodium loading. We studied the contribution of this decrease in plasma aldosterone to the natriuresis after acute sodium loading in healthy volunteers. 2. Two litres of saline [0.9% (w/v) NaCl] were infused during the second hour of a 6 h infusion of aldosterone (3 pmol min−1 kg−1) or placebo in eight healthy young men. On the placebo day, plasma aldosterone decreased by 30 min after the start of saline infusion and remained suppressed. During aldosterone infusion, plasma aldosterone was maintained at around 400 pmol/l. 3. Urinary sodium excretion, lithium clearance and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide increased and plasma renin activity decreased after saline infusion, whether or not aldosterone was infused. However, from 60 to 240 min after saline infusion, natriuresis was significantly less during aldosterone infusion than on the placebo day. In addition, saline loading led to a progressive increase in the ratio of sodium clearance to lithium clearance, used as an index of the fractional distal tubular rejection of sodium, and in the ratio of urinary sodium to potassium. These increases were prevented by the infusion of aldosterone. 4. This study suggests that there are differences in the mechanisms determining the early and the later responses to an acute sodium load. Suppression of aldosterone may explain much of the later increase in natriuresis after saline infusion. In addition, the results are consistent with a role for atrial natriuretic peptide in the immediate increase in sodium excretion after saline loading.

The associations between renal tubular sodium handling and plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide, renin activity and aldosterone were studied in 295 untreated men under normal living conditions. The renal clearance of ingested lithium was used as a marker of proximal tubular sodium handling. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was inversely related to creatinine clearance (r = -0.148, P less than 0.01) and directly and significantly related to the overall fractional excretion of sodium (r = 0.213, P less than 0.001) and to distal (r = 0.151, P less than 0.01) fractional sodium excretion. Plasma renin activity was inversely related to sodium excretion at both proximal (r = -0.145, P less than 0.05) and distal (r = -0.236, P less than 0.001) tubular site, whereas plasma aldosterone was significantly and inversely related to distal sodium excretion only (r = -0.305, P less than 0.001). The association between plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and distal sodium excretion in a large sample of men under normal living conditions supports the view of a possible tubular effect of the hormone of the overall control of sodium excretion in man.

N-Terminal pro ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) in human plasma has been measured by radioimmunoassay after extraction on Sep-Pak cartridges. Immunoreactive N-terminal pro ANP circulates in human plasma at higher levels than alpha-hANP (approximately 20-fold higher in normal subjects) and was elevated in patients with essential hypertension, cardiac transplantation and patients with chronic renal failure. In chronic renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis, C-terminal ANP (ANP 99-126), but not N-terminal ANP, declined significantly after dialysis. Gel filtration experiments demonstrated a single peak of N-terminal ANP immunoreactivity, eluting in parallel with synthetic human pro ANP 1-67, indicating a similar molecular size and the absence of low molecular weight N-terminal fragments.

The present study examines the responses of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), aldosterone and plasma renin activity to small alterations in dietary sodium intake. Six normotensive subjects were equilibrated on a low sodium intake of 10 mmol/day for 4 days. Dietary sodium intake was then increased gradually by 50 mmol/day to a maximum of 350 mmol/day over a 7 day period. With the gradual increase in sodium intake there were progressive increases in urinary sodium and cumulative sodium balance. These were associated with gradual increases in plasma ANP and reductions in both plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity. During the study there were no significant changes in blood pressure, urinary potassium and creatinine clearance. This study demonstrates a marked sensitivity of the responses of both the ANP and the renin-aldosterone system to small changes in sodium intake and points to their importance in the renal adaptations to small alterations in dietary sodium intake.

Plasma levels of immunoreactive N-terminal ProANP have been measured in plasma from 19 healthy individuals, 15 patients with essential hypertension, 8 cardiac transplant recipients and 8 patients with chronic renal failure using two separate radioimmunoassays (RIAs), one directed against ProANP (1-30) and the other against ProANP (79-98). The mean concentrations of ProANP (1-30) and ProANP (79-98) were elevated in these groups of patients. There were positive correlations between levels of ProANP (1-30) and ProANP (79-98), with a correlation coefficient of 0.97 (P less than 0.001, n = 50). In healthy individuals a 2-1 (isotonic) saline infusion significantly increased both ANP (99-126) (P less than 0.05, n = 8) and N-terminal ProANP (P less than 0.005, n = 8) within 15 min of the end of the infusion. Plasma N-terminal ProANP levels were still significantly elevated after 75 min (P less than 0.05, n = 8) and 225 min (P less than 0.05, n = 8), by contrast ANP (99-126) had returned to basal values. Gel filtration of plasma extracted on Sep-Pak C-18 from normal individuals and patients gave a single immunoreactive peak for N-terminal ProANP as measured by both N-terminal ProANP assays, indicating an absence of small N-terminal fragments and the presence of a single high molecular weight form. These studies demonstrate that the major circulating N-terminal ANP in man is probably ProANP (1-98) and that it is cosecreted with ANP (99-126).

The mechanism of sodium retention in the nephrotic syndrome remains controversial, though the classic pathophysiological explanation is stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Recent evidence has shown that many patients with the nephrotic syndrome have a normal or low plasma renin activity suggesting that there might be an intrarenal cause for their sodium retention. We gave captopril, an oral angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, during 10 separate episodes of sodium retention in nephrotic syndrome. There was evidence of stimulation of the renin system in 7 of these episodes. Despite a marked fall in plasma aldosterone, all patients continued to retain sodium and water and gain weight. This demonstrates that the sodium retention of nephrotic syndrome is not due to stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, but must be due to some other mechanism, which is probably intrarenal.

The effect of plasma from normotensive and hypertensive subjects on the binding of [3H]ouabain on human erythrocytes was investigated. The binding of [3H]ouabain on human erythrocytes was saturable and highly specific; linear Scatchard plots indicated the presence of a single type of binding site. Human plasma decreased the binding of [3H]ouabain on its receptor to a greater extent than could be accounted for by the plasma potassium concentration. The level of this circulating ouabainlike factor (or factors) was quantitated using a radioreceptor assay. Plasma from 22 hypertensive subjects (systolic blood pressure greater than 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg) displayed higher levels than that from 24 normotensive subjects; furthermore there was a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.42, n = 46, p less than 0.004) between the ouabainlike content and the individual subject's systolic blood pressure. The receptor assay described is relatively simple and should be useful for further work on the nature and clinical importance of the endogenous ouabainlike factor.

1. To study the anti-hypertensive effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), eight patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, on no treatment, were infused with α-human ANP (102–126) (37 pmol min−1 kg−1) or placebo for 60 min and observed for a further 4 h on the fifth day of low and high sodium diets in a randomized, cross-over study. 2. Plasma ANP levels increased over 30-fold into the high pathophysiological range during ANP infusion, but had returned to control values by 60 min after the end of infusion. With ANP infusion, there was a large decrease in supine blood pressure which was similar on both the low and high sodium intakes and was maximal 20–40 min after completion of the infusion. These reductions in blood pressure were sustained for a further 4 h after the end of ANP infusion and for 3 h after plasma ANP levels had returned to control values. 3. Maximal urinary sodium excretion increased 10-fold on the low sodium diet (negative sodium balance 20 mmol) and threefold on the high sodium diet (negative sodium balance 30 mmol) during ANP infusion; however, during the 4 h after infusion, urinary sodium excretion was below placebo values. During ANP infusion, packed cell volume increased significantly on both diets but returned to control values by 4 h after the end of infusion. 4. There were no significant changes in plasma renin activity compared with placebo during or after ANP infusion. However, plasma aldosterone was significantly greater than placebo values after the end of ANP infusion on both low and high sodium diets. 5. The sustained fall in blood pressure after ANP infusion appears to be unexplained by changes in sodium balance, packed cell volume and plasma ANP levels. These findings suggest that ANP may have a prolonged action on a pressor mechanism which remains to be defined.

The effects of gradual (50 mmol/day) increases in dietary sodium intake from 10 to 350 mmol/day on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), aldosterone, and plasma renin activity (PRA) were studied in six normal subjects. With the increases in sodium intake there was a progressive increase in urinary sodium from 12.2 +/- 4.4 to 314.8 +/- 31.4 mmol/24 h; plasma ANP increased gradually from 9.9 +/- 1.1 to 23.3 +/- 2.2 pg/ml, with the increases being closely associated with the changes in cumulative sodium balance. Plasma aldosterone decreased significantly from 2,519.7 +/- 147.4 pmol/l on the 10 mmol/day to 1,393.3 +/- 125.4 pmol/l when the sodium intake was increased to 50 mmol/day and decreased further to 251.6 +/- 78.7 pmol/l by the end of the study. The changes in PRA paralleled those in plasma aldosterone with the exception of no significant change in plasma PRA within 24 h of the initial increase in sodium intake. This marked sensitivity in the responses of both the ANP and the renin-aldosterone system to small increases in sodium intake clearly points to their importance in the renal adaptations to alterations in dietary sodium intake.

20 patients with mild hypertension (average supine blood pressure without treatment, 164/101 mm Hg) reduced their salt intake to 50 mmol (3 g) per day for a month. They then entered a 3 month double-blind randomised crossover study of three levels of sodium intake: 200, 100, and 50 mmol per day. Blood pressure was significantly reduced on the middle and lowest sodium intakes. The average fall in blood pressure from the highest to the lowest sodium intake was 16/9 mm Hg. Patients continued to restrict their sodium intake for a further year. In 16 of the 20 patients blood pressure remained well controlled with salt restriction alone. Supine blood pressure at 1 year was 142/87 (SE 3/2) mm Hg with a 24 h urinary sodium excretion of 54 (7) mmol. These results show a progressive blood pressure fall as salt intake is reduced and that, in many patients with mild essential hypertension, blood pressure can be controlled without the need for drug therapy.

The relationship between segmental renal tubular sodium handling (using the renal clearance of ingested lithium as a marker of proximal tubular sodium handling) and circulating plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) was studied in a sample of 295 untreated men drawn from a male population at work under their usual living conditions. Plasma ANF was positively and significantly related to sodium excretion at the distal nephron, indicating that this hormone interacts with a distal renal tubular site to influence the control of sodium excretion in man.

Abnormalities of calcium binding and calcium transport in cells from hypertensive subjects or animals have been previously described. Total cell sodium is reported to be increased in white blood cells from hypertensive subjects; thus by analogy with Blaustein's proposal for the vascular smooth muscle cell, mononuclear leucocyte cytosolic calcium might be increased via a reduction of the Na-Ca exchange. Using the fluorescent calcium indicator, quin 2, cytosolic calcium was measured in mononuclear leucocytes from 22 hypertensive and 19 normotensive subjects. There was no significant difference between the mononuclear leucocyte cytosolic calcium level in the two groups. Incubation of the cells with 10(-4) M ouabain reduced 86 rubidium (86Rb) uptake by 80% of the control value but failed to alter cytosolic calcium. These findings are consistent with a minimal role of the Na-Ca exchange in the mononuclear leucocyte and may explain why the cytosolic calcium was not increased in hypertension despite the previous reports of increased total cell sodium in white blood cells.

1. Plasma levels of immunoreactive N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (N-terminal ANP) have been measured in 25 normal subjects, 29 patients with essential hypertension, six cardiac transplant recipients, seven patients with dialysis-independent chronic renal failure and 11 patients with haemodialysis-dependent chronic renal failure. Plasma was extracted on Sep-Pak cartridges and N-terminal ANP immunoreactivity was measured using an antibody directed against pro-ANP (1–30). 2. Plasma levels of TV-terminal ANP (means ± sem) were 235.3 ± 19.2 pg/ml in normal subjects and were significantly raised in patients with essential hypertension (363.6 ± 36.3 pg/ml), in cardiac transplant recipients (1240.0 ± 196.2 pg/ml), in patients with chronic renal failure not requiring dialysis (1636.6 ± 488.4 pg/ml) and patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance haemodialysis (10 336.1 ± 2043.7 pg/ml). 3. There were positive and significant correlations between the plasma levels of TV-terminal ANP and α-human ANP (α-hANP) with individual correlation coefficients of 0.68 within the normal subjects, 0.47 in patients with essential hypertension, 0.78 in patients with dialysis-independent chronic renal failure and 0.68 in patients with haemodialysis-dependent chronic renal failure (P < 0.05 in every case). 4. Gel filtration behaviour on Sephadex G-50 of the immunoreactive N-terminal ANP from Sep-Pak extracts of plasma from normal subjects or patients was consistent with a single peak having an elution volume corresponding to that of human pro-ANP (1–67) standard. 5. These studies demonstrate that the N-terminal pro-ANP peptide is co-secreted with α-hANP in both normal subjects and patients with cardiovascular/renal disease. The higher levels of the N-terminal ANP may reflect differences in the rate of elimination from the circulation but the exact structure and functional significance of the circulating N-terminal ANP remains to be established.

SUMMARY A highly sensitive cytochemical bioassay has been developed for measuring angiotensin II in human plasma. The assay depends on the ability of angiotensin II to alter the reducing potency of the zona glomerulosa as measured by Prussian blue staining and microdensitometry. An inverse correlation between the intensity of the stain and the logarithm of concentration existed over the range 0.05-5.0 fmol/l of angiotensin II. The limit of sensitivity of the assay in plasma was 50 fmol/l; the index of precision was 0.07 ± 0.04 (mean ± SD; n = 15); and the coefficient of variation of a quality control sample was 34%. The response was specific for angiotensin II; approximately 102 times more angiotensin III and approximately 106 times more ACTH was required to produce a similar effect. Angiotensin I had no significant activity. A significant inverse relationship existed between sodium intake and bioactive angiotensin II in 5 normal subjects studied on low, normal and high sodium diets. Extremely low levels of angiotensin II were detected in anephric subjects.

The effect of plasma from patients with essential hypertension and from normotensive subjects on the contractile response to noradrenaline and potassium chloride has been investigated using human isolated arteries. After incubation with plasma from normotensive subjects, there was no change in the contractile response to either noradrenaline (-3.0 +/- 5.4%; P = NS) or potassium chloride (3.2 +/- 3.0%; P = NS). After incubation with plasma from patients with essential hypertension, the contractile response to noradrenaline was significantly increased (24.8 +/- 9.8%; P less than 0.01) whereas that to potassium chloride did not change (-0.4 +/- 3.7%; P = NS). The change in the contractile response to noradrenaline in the presence of plasma from hypertensive patients was significantly higher than that obtained in the presence of plasma from normotensive subjects (P less than 0.03) whereas that to potassium chloride was not different between groups (P = NS). These findings suggest that the increased vascular reactivity of human arteries in the presence of hypertensive plasma could be related to specific mechanisms requiring receptor-mediated activation of the vascular smooth muscle cell.