Urea transporters are distributed in endothelial cells and mediate inhibition ofl-arginine transport

Abstract

Our laboratory previously reported that uremic levels of urea inhibitl-arginine (l-Arg) transport into endothelial cells. The present study further investigated this effect. We measuredl-Arg transport in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells with normal or high urea (25 mM). The urea transport inhibitor phloretin abolished the inhibitory effect of urea on l-Arg transport, suggesting a role for urea transporters (UTs). We screened bovine aortic endothelial cells and several other endothelial cell types for the presence of UTs by using Western blot analysis. UT-B was present in all endothelial cells, irrespective of species or location of derivation, whereas UT-A distribution was variable and sparse. UT-B was also abundant in rat aorta, mesenteric blood vessels, and spinotrapezius muscle, whereas UT-A distribution was, again, variable and sparse. Chronic elevation of urea had variable, inconsistent effects on UT abundance. This study showed that urea must enter endothelial cells, probably by UT-B, to inhibit l-Arg transport. In view of the wide distribution of UT-B in rat vasculature, elevated blood urea nitrogen may lead to endothelial l-Arg deficiency in vivo.