RENIN IN WILMS-TUMOR - PRORENIN AS AN INDICATOR

In a prospective study, 25 children with nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumor) had preoperative plasma prorenin and renin concentrations measured. T he mean plasma renin and prorenin concentrations in the patients were raised compared with a control group of patients without nephroblastom a. Four children had recurrence of tumor and, in three, this was assoc iated with an increase in plasma prorenin concentration. Nephroblastom a tissue contained immunoreactive renin and renin messenger RNA, and t he renin protein was immunologically and biochemically similar to norm al human renin. We conclude that prorenin concentrations in plasma are an indicator of nephroblastoma.