In rabbit cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells, arginine vasopressin (AVP) causes a transient increase followed by a sustained depression of transepithelial potential difference (PDte). Mechanisms underlying the decrease in PDte are not well understood. In this study, we used primary cultures of rabbit CCD cells to study effects of AVP. Basolateral addition of AVP caused a dose-dependent increase in transepithelial conductance (Gte) and a corresponding decrease in PDte. A significant effect was observed at 1 pM AVP, and half-maximal response occurred at 30 pM AVP; 1 nM AVP increased Gte and decreased PDte. Replacement of apical Na+ with N-methyl-D-glucamine did not prevent the effect of AVP on Gte, suggesting that it is not mediated by an increase in apical Na+ conductance. Similarly, apical Ba2+ (1 mM) or 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS, 0.1 mM) failed to prevent the effect of AVP. On the other hand, 5-nitro-2(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (0.1 mM) caused partial inhibition, whereas substitution of apical Cl- with gluconate or cyclamate almost completely prevented the AVP-induced increase in Gte. In unidirectional ion-flux studies, 1 nM AVP caused only a modest increase in apical-to-basolateral (A-->BL) flux of 22Na and had no effect on transepithelial flux of 86Rb in either direction. On the other hand, AVP caused a pronounced increase in A-->BL flux and BL-->A flux of 36Cl, resulting in an increased net Cl- absorption. The effect of AVP on Gte could be mimicked by 8-bromo-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-bromo-cAMP) and isoproterenol, and effects of AVP and isoproterenol were not additive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)