.-The roles of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits (␣, , and ␥) in the impaired renal reabsorption of sodium and water were examined in rat models with bilateral (BUO) or unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) for 24 h or with BUO followed by release of obstruction and 3 days of observation (BUO-3dR). In BUO rats, plasma osmolality was increased dramatically, whereas plasma sodium concentration was decreased. Immunoblotting revealed a significantly decreased expression of ␣-ENaC (57 Ϯ 7%), -ENaC (19 Ϯ 5%), and ␥-ENaC (51 Ϯ 10%) as well as 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11-HSD2) in the cortex and outer medulla (CϩOM) compared with sham-operated controls. This was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. BUO-3dR was associated with polyuria and impaired renal sodium handling. The protein abundance and the apical labeling of ␣-ENaC were significantly increased, whereas -and ␥-ENaC as well as 11-HSD2 expression remained decreased. In UUO rats, expression of ␣-and -ENaC and 11-HSD2 decreased in the CϩOM in the obstructed kidney. In contrast, the abundance and the apical labeling of ␣-ENaC in the nonobstructed kidneys were markedly increased, suggesting compensatory upregulation in this kidney. In conclusion, ␣-, -, and ␥-ENaC expression levels are downregulated in the obstructed kidney. The expression and apical labeling of ␣-ENaC were increased in BUO-3dR rats and in the nonobstructed kidneys from UUO rats. These results suggest that altered expression of ␣-, -, and ␥-ENaC may contribute to impaired renal sodium and water handling in response to ureteral obstruction.