Modulation of aldosterone-induced stimulation of ENaC synthesis by changing the rate of apical Na+ entry

Abstract

Primary cultures of immunodissected rabbit connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct cells were used to investigate the effect of apical Na+ entry rate on aldosterone-induced transepithelial Na+ transport, which was measured as benzamil-sensitive short-circuit current ( I sc). Stimulation of the apical Na+ entry, by long-term short-circuiting of the monolayers, suppressed the aldosterone-stimulated benzamil-sensitive I sc from 320 ± 49 to 117 ± 14%, whereas in the presence of benzamil this inhibitory effect was not observed (335 ± 74%). Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled β-rabbit epithelial Na+ channel (rbENaC) revealed that the effects of modulation of apical Na+ entry on transepithelial Na+ transport are exactly mirrored by β-rbENaC protein levels, because short-circuiting the monolayers decreased aldosterone-induced β-rbENaC protein synthesis from 310 ± 51 to 56 ± 17%. Exposure to benzamil doubled the β-rbENaC protein level to 281 ± 68% in control cells but had no significant effect on aldosterone-stimulated β-rbENaC levels (282 ± 68%). In conclusion, stimulation of apical Na+ entry suppresses the aldosterone-induced increase in transepithelial Na+transport. This negative-feedback inhibition is reflected in a decrease in β-rbENaC synthesis or in an increase in β-rbENaC degradation.