The effect of the change from supine to upright position on GFR (measured by creatinine clearance) was studied in nonazotemic patients with biopsy-proven primary glomerulonephritis. Compared to healthy subjects, the fall in GFR following the postural change was significantly larger in patients with mesangial proliferation (MP) and with both MP and thickening of glomerular capillary wall (GCW), while similar in those with thickening of GCW alone, suggesting that MP, but not thickening of GCW, augments posturally induced fall in GFR. The augmented fall in GFR in patients with MP was accompanied by larger fall in GFR per unit increase in plasma renin activity than in healthy subjects, and was eliminated by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. We conclude that MP augments posturally induced fall in GFR through affecting glomerular reactivity to angiotensin II.