Liu R, Garvin JL, Ren YL, Pagano PJ, Carretero OA. Depolarization of the macula densa induces superoxide production via NAD(P)H oxidase. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 292: F1867-F1872, 2007. First published March 6, 2007; doi:10.1152 doi:10. /ajprenal.00515.2006 Ϫ ) enhances tubuloglomerular feedback by scavenging nitric oxide at the macula densa. However, the singling pathway of O 2 Ϫ production in the macula densa is not known. We hypothesized that the increase in tubular NaCl concentration that initiates tubuloglomerular feedback induces O 2 Ϫ production by the macula densa via NAD(P)H oxidase, which is activated by macula densa depolarization. We isolated and microperfused the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle and attached macula densa in rabbits. A fluorescent dye, dihydroethidium, was used to detect O 2 Ϫ production at the macula densa. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM, a situation of initiating maximum tubuloglomerular feedback response, O 2 Ϫ production significantly increased. To make sure that the shifts in the oxyethidium/dihydroethidium ratio were due to changes in O 2 Ϫ , we used tempol (10 Ϫ4 M), a stable membrane-permeant superoxide dismutase mimetic. With tempol present, when we switched from 10 to 80 mM NaCl, the increase in oxyethidium/dihydroethidium ratio was blocked. To determine the source of O 2 Ϫ , we used the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor apocynin. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM in the presence of apocynin, O 2 Ϫ production was inhibited by 80%. To see whether the effect of increasing luminal NaCl involves Na-K-2Cl cotransporters, we inhibited them with furosemide. When luminal NaCl was switched from 10 to 80 mM in the presence of furosemide, O 2 Ϫ production was blocked. To test whether depolarization of the macula densa induces O 2 Ϫ production, we artificially induced depolarization by adding valinomycin (10 Ϫ6 M) and 25 mM KCl to the luminal perfusate. Depolarization alone significantly increases O 2 Ϫ production. We conclude that increasing luminal NaCl induces O 2 Ϫ production during tubuloglomerular feedback. O 2 Ϫ generated by the macula densa is primarily derived from NAD(P)H oxidase and is induced by depolarization. tubuloglomerular feedback TUBULOGLOMERULAR FEEDBACK refers to a negative feedback loop between the epithelial cells of the macula densa and the vascular smooth muscle cells of the afferent arteriole. Tubuloglomerular feedback regulates distal tubular sodium load by adjusting glomerular filtration rate in response to signals received from the macula densa. When the macula densa senses a decline in the delivery of NaCl to the distal tubule, it signals the afferent arteriole to dilate, which raises glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure and glomerular filtration rate and thus increases renal tubular flow and sodium delivery to the distal tubule. Increased distal NaCl delivery constricts the afferent arteriole, lowers capillary hydraulic pressure, slows glomerular filtration rate, and diminishes tubular flow (35,56 ) (31). Enhanced tubu...