INCREASED RENAL ENDOTHELIN FORMATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH SODIUM RETENTION AND INCREASED FREE-WATER CLEARANCE

To investigate whether renal endothelin (ET)-1 participates in water a nd sodium handling, we investigated the influence of different sodium intakes on renal production of ET-1 in eight healthy subjects. The fun ctional relationship with the renin-angiotensin system was also studie d. Renal ET-1 formation is affected by sodium intake, because 1 wk of high sodium decreased urinary ET-1 excretion (-34%, P < 0.05), whereas a low-sodium diet increased ET-1 excretion (66%, P < 0.05) and mRNA e xpression for preproendothelin-l in epithelial cells of medullary coll ecting ducts and endothelial cells of the peritubular capillary networ k. Increased ET-1 renal synthesis was associated with sodium retention and increased free water clearance. Urinary ET-1 excretion changes fr om normal to low-sodium diet were negatively related to contemporary c hanges in sodium excretion (r = 0.97, P < 0.05) and were positively co rrelated with free water clearance (r = 0.97, P < 0.05). These correla tions were maintained during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, which only partially reduced ET-1 renal excretion. These results indi cate that renal ET-1 production is indeed modulated by varying sodium intakes and may exert a role in sodium and water handling.