Aggression-provoked huge release of submaxillary mouse renin to saliva
Pedersen, E.B.; Poulsen, K.
Acta Endocrinologica 104(4): 510-512
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5598 PMID: 6362311 Document Number: 209793
In a normal male mouse, which had been kept isolated for some time, confrontation with another male mouse resulted in aggressive behavior, including fighting. The aggressive behavior resulted in secretion of a few microliter of saliva with vast renin concentration. The renin concentration in saliva reached values of 6000 Goldblatt units .times. ml-1, corresponding to 15 mg/ml of renin. This concentration is 6 orders of magnitude higher than normal plasma renin concentrations. The secretory pattern could be mimicked by i.p. injection of pharmacological doses (2-18 mg/kg) of the .alpha.-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine. This is probably the first demonstration of a physiological secretion of renin to saliva which may be of importance since renin most likely is injected into the opponent or prey through bites.