Urea may regulate urea transporter protein abundance during osmotic diuresis

Rats with diabetes mellitus have an increase in UT-A1 urea transporter protein abundance and absolute urea excretion, but the relative amount (percentage) of urea in total urinary solute is actually decreased due to the marked glucosuria. Urea-specific signaling pathways have been identified in mIMCD3 cells and renal medulla, suggesting the possibility that changes in the percentage or concentration of urea could be a factor that regulates UT-A1 abundance. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that an increase in a urinary solute other than urea would increase UT-A1 abundance, similar to diabetes mellitus, whereas an increase in urine urea would not. In both inner medullary base and tip, UT-A1 protein abundance increased during NaCl- or glucose-induced osmotic diuresis but not during urea-induced osmotic diuresis. Next, rats undergoing NaCl or glucose diuresis were given supplemental urea to increase the percentage of urine urea to control values. UT-A1 abundance did not increase in these urea-supplemented rats compared with control rats. Additionally, both UT-A2 and UT-B protein abundances in the outer medulla increased during urea-induced osmotic diuresis but not in NaCl or glucose diuresis. We conclude that during osmotic diuresis, UT-A1 abundance increases when the percentage of urea in total urinary solute is low and UT-A2 and UT-B abundances increase when the urea concentration in the medullary interstitium is high. These findings suggest that a reduction in urine or interstitial urea results in an increase in UT-A1 protein abundance in an attempt to restore inner medullary interstitial urea and preserve urine-concentrating ability.