Diurnal pattern in skin Na+ and water content is associated with salt-sensitive hypertension in ETB receptor-deficient rats

Impairment in the ability of the skin to properly store Na+ nonosmotically (without water) has recently been hypothesized as contributing to salt-sensitive hypertension. Our laboratory has shown that endothelial production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) is crucial to skin Na+ handling. Furthermore, it is well established that loss of endothelin type B receptor (ETB) receptor function impairs Na+ excretion by the kidney. Thus we hypothesized that rats lacking functional ETB receptors (ETB-def) will have a reduced capacity of the skin to store Na+ during chronic high-salt (HS) intake. We observed that ETB-def rats exhibited salt-sensitive hypertension with an approximate doubling in the diurnal amplitude of mean arterial pressure compared with genetic control rats on a HS diet. Two weeks of HS diet significantly increased skin Na+ content relative to water; however, there was no significant difference between control and ETB-def rats. Interestingly, HS intake led to a 19% increase in skin Na+ and 16% increase in wa...