Scientists have identified genes that act as “switches,” activating kidney cells to produce renin, an enzyme crucial for blood pressure regulation. Normally, smooth muscle cells lining blood vessels help regulate blood pressure by contracting and relaxing. However, when blood pressure remains low for an extended period, these cells in the kidney’s blood vessels begin producing renin to stabilize it.
Previously, the specific genes responsible for this transformation in kidney smooth muscle cells were unknown, according to researchers from the University of Virginia, U.S.
In a study published, researchers examined the biological processes involved in renin production and identified nine key genes responsible for regulating three of these processes. These genes function as switches, not only stopping renin production when it’s unnecessary but also reactivating it when the body requires more of the enzyme.
Although these cells naturally stop producing renin, they remain “primed” to resume production when needed. Lead author Jason P. Smith, a senior scientist at the University of Virginia’s Department of Pediatrics, explained that the genome region controlling this gene remains accessible, even when renin production is paused, enabling a quick response when more is required.
As reported by health.economictimes.indiatimes.com, Smith added that understanding how the body regulates renin production could be essential for developing treatments for hypertension and managing the long-term effects of common blood pressure medications on kidney function and disease.
Co-author R. Ariel Gomez, a researcher at the Child Health Research Center at the University of Virginia, emphasized that understanding how vascular cells alter their function could lead to new therapies for treating high blood pressure and vascular diseases.