Effect and distribution of intravenously injected 125I-endothelin-1 in rat kidney and lung examined by electron microscopic radioautography.

The morphological effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and the distribution of endothelin-binding sites on the kidney and lung was investigated ultrastructually by intravenous injection of [125I]-ET-1 into rats. About 10% decrease of the diameter of glomeruli was observed at 10 min after the injections of ET-1 or [125I]-ET-1 (1.3-2.4 nmole/kg). When localization of [125I]-ET-1 in the kidney was examined by light and electron microscopic radioautography, silver grains were preferably localized on the fenestrated endothelial cells of glomeruli and peritubular capillary endothelial cells. Some grains were also localized on the interdigitating processes of urinary tubules. Quantitative analysis of silver grains in the glomeruli showed that 83% of grains were located on the fenestrated endothelial cells, 12% on the podocytes of visceral cells, and 5% on mesangial cells at 10 min. After 60 min, 50% of silver grains were incorporated into the cytoplasm of fenestrated endothelial cells. In contrast to glomeruli, silver grains were rare on the arteries and large arterioles. However, a few silver grains were often observed on the smooth muscle cells of small arterioles (8-20 microns in diameter). In the lung, 70% of silver grains were located on the alveolar capillary endothelial cells. These results indicate the abundance of ET receptors on the glomerular fenestrated endothelium, peritubular fenestrated endothelium and alveolar capillary endothelium.