High plasma concentrations of prorenin in a transgenic animal model of nephropathy with overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta1 in the kidneys.

SUMMARY 1. Plasma concentrations of prorenin were determined in a transgenic animal model of nephropathy induced by overexpression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in the juxtaglomerular apparatus. 2. In both female and male mice, plasma concentrations of prorenin were higher in transgenic than in non-transgenic animals. In sexually mature mice, plasma prorenin concentrations were higher in males than in females in both transgenic and non-transgenic animals in accordance with a sexual dimorphism of the plasma concentration of prorenin. 3. The results indicate that TGF-β1-like androgens increase prorenin secretion in the kidneys and may explain the increased plasma prorenin concentrations in patients with diabetic nephropathy.