ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the association of epithelial sodium channel alpha subunit (alphaENaC) with terbutaline-induced transient enhancement of pulmonary edema clearance in adult rats with acute lung injury (ALI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effect of 1-h intratracheal terbutaline treatment on pulmonary edema clearance in adult rats with experimental ALI was observed by blood gas analysis, lung tissue HE staining, and extravascular lung water (EVLW) content measurement. The mRNA and protein expressions of alphaENaC in the lung tissues were detected by fluorescence quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Terbutaline treatment of the rats with ALI resulted in significant differences in PaO2, oxygenation index, and EVLW from those in ALI group without treatment. No significant differences in pulmonary alphaENaC mRNA and protein expressions were noted between the normal control, ALI, and terbutaline-treated ALI groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Intratracheal terbutaline administration for 1 h can significantly promote pulmonary edema clearance in adult rats with ALI, and this effect is not mediated by alphaENaC gene expression.</p>