This study was carried out to investigate the effect of lipid peroxidation in the renin granule fraction on renin release from the granules. Ascorbic acid was used to cause lipid peroxidation in the renin granule fraction prepared from rat kidney cortex homogenate. Renin activity was measured by radioimmunoassay and lipid peroxidation was estimated by means of the thiobarbituric acid test. Ascorbic acid, at the concentrations from 5 to 100 microM, produced a dose-dependent increase in lipid peroxidation during incubation of the renin granule fraction at 37 degrees C for 30 min, accompanied by increased release of renin from the granules. On the other hand, dehydroascorbic acid showed no effects on lipid peroxidation and renin release. The simultaneous increases in lipid peroxidation and renin release induced by ascorbic acid in the renin granule fraction were markedly suppressed by the addition of disodium ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid and antioxidants such as N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and hydroquinone. These findings indicate that lipid peroxidation in the renin granule fraction results in the stimulation of renin release from the granules.