[Endogenous digitalis-like substance and Na-K-ATPase inhibitor in cardiovascular and renal disease].

New method for measuring plasma and urinary Na-K-ATPase inhibitor (ATPI) was developed. Plasma and urine were extracted with reversed phase cartridge column and sample was reconstituted by assay buffer. Na-K-ATPase inhibitory activity of sample was monitored by continuously recording the absorbance of NADH at 340 nm, which coupled to the dephosphorylation of ATP. Ouabain was used for standards of Na-K-ATPase inhibition and this standard showed good linearity ranged 5-100 nmol/ml. Using this new method, P-ATPI and U-ATPI were quantitatively evaluated and paradoxical Na-K-ATPase stimulating phenomenon which observed in conventional method (Hamlyn et al) was diminished. Adopting of this new method for measuring plasma(P-) and urinary(U-)ATPI, and radioimmunoassay for P- and U-digitalis-like substance(DLS)--using crossreactivity to anti digoxin antibody--, these substances were estimated in patients with essential hypertension (EHT), chronic heart failure(CHF), primary and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism(HA), hyperthyroidism(BA) and chronic renal failure(CRF). In EHT, U-DLS, P-DLS, U-ATPI, P-ATPI were significantly higher than those of control(C). In CHF and BA, U-DLS and -ATPI were also significantly higher than those of C. In HA, U-ATPI, DLS distributed in wide range, and a few patients showed high levels of U-DLS and -ATPI. In CRF, P-DLS and -ATPI levels were significantly higher than those of C in prehemodialytic state but P-ATPI was significantly decreased after hemodialysis. From these results it is suggested that 1) DLS and ATPI might contribute to the etiology of hypertension. 2) Volume expansion stimulates the secretion of DLS and ATPI. 3) Stimulatory effect of volume expansion and inhibitory effect of mineralocorticoid may be responsible for wide distribution of these factors in HA. 4) DLS and ATPI are not the same substances.