Aggression-provoked huge release of submaxillary mouse renin to saliva.
In a normal male mouse, which had been kept isolated for some time, confrontation with another male mouse, resulted in aggressive behaviour, including fighting. The aggressive behaviour resulted in secretion of a few microlitre of saliva with vast renin concentration. The renin concentration in saliva reached values of 6000 Goldblatt units X 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 ip 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.
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012083:Renin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis*; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D010862:Pilocarpine; D010656:Phenylephrine; D012083:Renin