title: Epithelial Na channels and short-term renal response to salt deprivation.
abstract: To test the role of epithelial Na channels in the day-to-day regulation of renal Na excretion, rats were infused via osmotic minipumps with the Na channel blocker amiloride at rates that achieved drug concentrations of 2-5 microM in the lumen of the distal nephron. Daily Na excretion rates were unchanged, although amiloride-treated animals tended to excrete more Na in the afternoon and less in the late evening than controls. When the rats were given a low-Na diet, Na excretion rates were elevated in the amiloride-treated group within 4 h and remained higher than controls for at least 48 h. Adrenalectomized animals responded similarly to the low-Na diet. In contrast, rats infused with polythiazide at rates designed to inhibit NaCl transport in the distal tubule were able to conserve Na as well as did the controls. Injection of aldosterone (2 microg/100 g body wt) decreased Na excretion in control animals after a 1-h delay. This effect was largely abolished in amiloride-treated rats. On the basis of quantitative analysis of the results, we conclude that activation of amiloride-sensitive channels by mineralocorticoids accounts for 50-80% of the immediate natriuretic response of the kidney to a reduction in Na intake. Furthermore, the channels are necessary to achieve minimal rates of Na excretion during more chronic Na deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frindt
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McNair
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dahlmann
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacobs-Palmer
authors.forename: Lawrence G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007685:Kidney Tubules, Collecting / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D011139:Polythiazide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012964:Sodium / Q000172:deficiency*; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D004573:Electrolytes; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D015222:Sodium Channels; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D011139:Polythiazide; D000450:Aldosterone; D000584:Amiloride; D012964:Sodium