RNA blots of total cellular RNA isolated from quiescent and endothelin (ET-1)-stimulated normal rat kidney (NRK) cells demonstrated that ET-1 induced the expression of c-jun, jun B, and c-fos mRNA in a time-dependent manner with maximal expression of mRNA by 1 hr after the addition of ET-1. Five hundred picomolar ET-1 was sufficient to induce maximal mRNA expression. These data agreed with saturation experiments which demonstrated that maximal binding of [125I]ET-1 was achieved at concentrations greater than 100 pM. The Kd and Bmax values for [125I]ET-1 binding to NRK membranes were 20.5 pM and 22.2 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Competition experiments for the binding of [125I]ET-1 to NRK membranes demonstrated that ET-1 was a more potent inhibitor (Ki = 0.047 nM) than ET-3 (Ki = 10.8 nM). No specific binding of [125I]ET-3 (40 or 500 pM) to NRK membranes could be observed. The expression of c-jun, jun B, and c-fos mRNA was inhibited by the endothelin type A receptor (ET)-selective antagonist, BQ-123. Thus, these data demonstrate that ET-1 mediates the expression of immediate response gene mRNA in NRK cells via the ETA receptor. ET-1 stimulation of NRK cells also upregulated EGF receptors, providing a possible mechanism for ET-1 complementation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) mitogenicity in NRK cells.