Homenaje al doctor Héctor Croxatto Rezzio: instalando la ciencia en Chile: la naturaleza siempre es más maravillosa que lo que imaginamos / A tribute to professor Héctor Croxatto: setting up science in Chile: nature is always more amazing than our imagination can conceive

Hector R. Croxatto, M.D., has recently celebrated bis 90th anniversary, fully active in scientific research and in other academic activities. Along his productive life, he has contributed with original observations on the of certain peptides in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension. Furthermore, he has been a leader in the development of biological research in Chile and the mentor or teacher of several prominent diciples who have had, or are having, their own brilliant careers in medicine and in science in Chile and other Latinamerican countries. Although most of his scientific productivity has been published in top journals in the international field, several of his papers have been published in Revista Medica de Chile. In this issue, the journal pays a tribute to this outstanding scolar, his exceptional personality and fruitful academic career. The tribute includes this Editorial, a Letter to the Editor and its reply, and his most recent manuscript, all testifying the exceptional virtues of a great man

La glucosa en conjunto con péptidos derivados de cininógenos podrían actuar desde el aparato digestivo como bloqueadores de la acción diurética-natriurética del péptido natriurético auricular / Glucose in conjunction with peptides derived from kininogens might act from digestive tract as blockers of ANP mediated diuresis-natriuresis

This paper describes long term research efforts wich have lead: 1) to the identification of peptides present in pepsanurin, a peptidic fraction obtained by pepsin hydrolisis of plasma globulins that inhibits the renal excretory action of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and 2) to the discovery of an unexpected role of glucose, as a requisite, for these inhibitory effects. The active peptides identified in pepsanurin are derived from plasma kininogens, substrates of the kallikrein-kinin system. Pro-kinins of 15, 16 and 18 aminoacids, and bradykinin itself, block ANP-induced diuresis and natriuresis when injected iv, ip or into, the duodenal lumen of anesthetized rats in picomol doses. Furthermore, a novel 20 aminoacids fragment derived from kininogen dominium-1, named PU-D1, is the most potent and longer lasting blocker of ANP renal effects. The anti-ANP effects of those peptides are prevented by B2- kinin receptor antagonists. The inhibition of ANP by kinins and PU-D1 was evident only in rats infused with isotonic glucose; whereas the excretory effect of ANP was not affected in fasted rats not infused, or infused with saline. These findings provide evidence that glucose facilitates liquid retention through a kinin-mediated inhibition of ANP excretory action that may be related to the prandial cycle

El proceso digestivo y la regulación de la función excretora renal: pepsanuria y procininas inhibidoras de la acción diurética del péptido natriurético auricular / Digestive process and regulation of renal excretory function: pepsanurin and prokinin inhibitors of diuretic action of atrial natriuretic peptide

In order to clarify the blunting effect of peptides released by pepsin from blood plasma on ANP diuretic action, 2 prokinins designated PU-16 were tested. Both of them were able to inhibit in nanomolar doses the diuretic-saluretic action of 0.5 ug i.v. bolus of ANP given to anesthetized rats either by intravenous route or introduced in the duodenal lumen. PU-16 in doses of 0.5 ug and 1 ug were able to reduce in 72 and 96.5 per cent respectively the natriuresis induced bu 0.5 ug intravenous bolus of ANP. The data support the hypothesis that prokinins liberated in the digestive tract, could be physiological factors involved in hydrosaline homeostasis, moderating the ANP mediated increase of water, Na and K excretion during digestion