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Review
. 2015 Mar;35(2):137-44.
doi: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2015.02.003.

Endothelin and renal ion and water transport

Joshua S Speed  1 , Brandon M Fox  1 , Jermaine G Johnston  1 , David M Pollock  2
Affiliations
Review

Endothelin and renal ion and water transport

Joshua S Speed et al. Semin Nephrol. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

The renal tubular epithelial cells produce more endothelin-1 (ET-1) than any other cell type in the body. Moving down the nephron, the amount of ET-1 produced appears fairly consistent until reaching the inner medullary collecting duct, which produces at least 10 times more ET-1 than any other segment. ET-1 inhibits Na(+) transport in all parts of the nephron through activation of the ETB receptor, and, to a minor extent, the ETA receptor. These effects are most prominent in the collecting duct where ETB-receptor activation inhibits activity of the epithelial Na(+) channel. Effects in other parts of the nephron include inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchange in the proximal tubule and the Na(+), K(+), 2Cl(-) co-transporter in the thick ascending limb. In general, the renal epithelial ET-1 system is an integral part of the body's response to a high salt intake to maintain homeostasis and normal blood pressure. Loss of ETB-receptor function results in salt-sensitive hypertension. The role of renal ET-1 and how it affects Na(+) and water transport throughout the nephron is reviewed.

Keywords: Endothelin; kidney; sodium transport.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial disclosure and conflict of interest statement: none

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relative ET-1 production and receptor density along the nephron.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ENaC activity in isolated split open cortical CD using patch clamp techniques. Exogenous ET-1 reduces ENaC open probability in CD from floxed control mice and CD specific ETA KO mice. ET-1 induced reductions in ENaC activity was absent in tubules from CD ETB KO mice (used with permission ref. 28)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Autocrine and paracrine effects of inner medullary collecting duct derived ET-1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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