血清Angiotensinaseに関する臨床的ならびに実験的研究

抄録

During the past thirty years various functions have been proposed for the renin-angio-tensin-aldosterone system ; even today, however, its role in homeostasis and in disease is unclear. The destruction of angiotensin in the body is rapidly accompanied through the action of angiotensinase. Extracts that enzymatically destroy angiotensin have been pre-pared from plasma, erythrocytes and many tissues. Recent works suggest of an abnormal metabolism of angiotensin in hypertension and diseases of the liver. The purposes of this investigation are, therefore, (1) to measure the degradation of the pressor activity of angiotensin II by serum from patients with hypertension, edema, diseases of the liver and normal subjects; (2) to evaluate the effect of sodium balance on serum angiotensinase activity (SAA) ; (3) to evaluate certain factors associated with hepatic disorders which may influence SAA. Methods: SAA was determined by the method of HICK-LER and co-workers. The percentage of destruction of angiotensin II (Hypertensin, Ciba) in 15 minutes was calculated and used as index of SAA. Results: (1) No significant difference was found in the following cases : hypertension in younger adult, essential hypertension, renal hyper-tension, normal pregnancy, acute hepatitis (convalescent stage), chronic hepatitis, Iiver cirrhosis without ascites, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, and normal subjects. (2) A moderate elevation was found both in hypertensives in younger adult and in normotensives, when they have hypertensive disposition. (3) A significant elevation was found in the following cases: secondary aldosteronism, acute hepatitis (acute stage), hepatic malignancy, cholecystitis, gallstone, acute pancreatitis, adrenal medullary hyperplasia, and toxemia of pregnancy.