In the distal colon, the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is rate limiting for sodium absorption. Progress in the molecular characterization of ENaC expression and trafficking in response to the mineralocorticoid aldosterone has been hampered. since no epithelial colonic cell line existed expressing functional ENaC stimulated by nanomolar aldosterone via mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). Here, we present a human colonic epithelial cell line inducibly expressing the MR (HT-29/B6-Tet-On-MR) which exhibits aldosterone-dependent ENaC-mediated sodium transport in the presence of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. Butyrate was necessary for high-level expression of MR which allowed for aldosterone-clepenclent Upregulation of beta- and gamma-ENaC expression. As butyrate alone was not capable of promoting ENaC-mediated sodium transport, aldosterone-induced GILZ (glucocorticoid-induced Ieucine zipper protein) was identified as a candidate factor increasing apical ENaC levels. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.