Catecholamine-Releasing Agent Recovered from Plasma of Subjects with Arterial Hypertension

Abstract

Summary

In 9 of 98 hypertensive patients undergoing clinical screening, plasma processed by the Boucher method induced atypical pressor responses in the assay procedure. Similar atypical responses were obtained from urine of two of these patients. The response was bradykinin-like in nature and the pressor component was blocked by dibenzylene as well as bilateral adrenalectomy of the assay rat. The agent can not be bradykinin, however, since this agent is not recovered by the Boucher method. The material is recoverable in similar quantities from peripheral or renal venous blood and, therefore, it is unlikely to be specifically of renal origin. Patients with such atypical plasma components may represent a “class” of as yet undescribed hypertensives.