The effect of angiotensin (ANG) II on the expression of endothelin (ET) receptor subtype (ETA, ETB) mRNA in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was studied. ANG II (10(-7) M) increased steady-state mRNA levels of ETB receptor, but not ETA receptor, during 6-12 hr incubation, whose effect was dose-dependent (10(-9)-10(-7) M). ANG II receptor type-1 (AT1) antagonist (CV-11974) completely inhibited the ANG II-induced up-regulation of ETB receptor, whereas the inhibitory effect by ANG II receptor type-2 (AT2) antagonist (PD 123319) was incomplete. These results suggest that ANG II up-regulates cardiac ETB receptor, predominantly via AT1 receptor.