Increased plasma concentrations of endothelin have been identified in patients and animals with severe congestive heart failure (CHF). However, whether and to what extent increased endothelin (ET) concentrations influence left ventricular (LV) myocyte contractility, ET-receptor subtype density, and endogenous ET production with the development of CHF remains unclear. Accordingly, myocyte contractile function, response to ET, sarcolemmal ET-receptor density, and myocyte ET production were examined in pigs following the development of pacing-induced CHF (240 beats/min, 3 wk, n = 8) and in controls (n = 8). With CHF, plasma ET increased over threefold. In the presence of ET (10-500 pM), myocyte contractility increased in a dose-dependent manner in control myocytes but decreased in CHF myocytes. For example, in the presence of 200 pM ET, velocity of shortening increased by 32.8 +/- 2.3 microns/s in controls but decreased by 8.3 +/- 2.2 microns/s with CHF. LV sarcolemmal ET-receptor density was primarily of the ETA-receptor subtype in controls (96 +/- 1.0%) and was unchanged with CHF. In quiescent myocyte preparations, control myocytes secreted ET (2.29 +/- 0.45 amol.cell-1.h-1), which was similar in CHF myocytes. These findings suggest that the production of ET may have important and potentially differential effects on contractile function with the development of CHF.