Scientists at the University of Virginia have identified a natural process by which the body “turns off” renin, a hormone that raises blood pressure, a discovery that could improve treatments for hypertension and kidney disease. The study, led by Dr. R. Ariel Gomez and Dr. Maria Luisa S. Sequeira-Lopez, examined juxtaglomerular cells in the kidney, which release renin when blood pressure falls.
According to the researchers, the hormone angiotensin II (ang II) regulates renin by triggering brief calcium “oscillations” inside kidney cells. These calcium signals instruct the cells to stop producing and releasing renin. Unlike earlier studies that focused on single cells, the team used whole kidney tissue and found that calcium signals spread to nearby cells, strengthening the shutdown process.
Dr. Hiroki Yamaguchi, the study’s first author, said calcium acts as a key messenger that helps the kidney respond to hormones, blood pressure, and the nervous system at once. The researchers believe focusing on the body’s natural “brakes,” rather than only blocking activating systems, could lead to safer, more targeted therapies for high blood pressure and kidney disease. The study was published in Circulation Research.