Ito cells play a key role in the development of liver fibrosis associated with chronic liver diseases. Both ETA (20%) and ETB (80%) receptors were identified in human Ito cells. ET-1 did not stimulate proliferation of Ito cells. In contrast, ET-1 inhibited DNA synthesis stimulated by serum or PDGF-BB, through an ETB-mediated pathway. The mechanism leading to growth inhibition involved elevation of cAMP leading to inhibition of serum-stimulated MAP kinase and selective reduction of c-jun expression. Finally, ET receptors were upregulated by cAMP, providing a positive feedback loop that would amplify ET-1-induced growth inhibition. We conclude that ET-1 is a potent growth inhibitory peptide and may exert positive or negative control of cell growth, depending on cell type. Moreover, this peptide may play a key role in the negative control of liver fibrogenesis.