The renin-angiotensin system, primarily known for blood pressure regulation, is also present in the male genital tract with a specific testicular ACE isoenzyme, suggesting a role in male reproductive function.
Suggests testicular ACE involvement in reproduction; leaves open any clinical relevance or therapeutic crossover with cardiovascular RAS.
The renin-angiotensin syster,,, a contplex biological systenl. which is well known in the regulation of blood pressure has indeed nultiple interaction with other regulatory systen . Recently, severalfindings have also pointed to a possible involvement of this s1,s1s111 in nnle reproductive function. High a,,nunts of angiotensin converting enzynte (ACE), the nain regulatory enzy,ile of this systetn, do not only occure within the hu.nan lung and kidne1,, but also in the nale genital tract. In nan, ACE occurs in two structurally dissitnilar isoenzynes, a testicular and a serurnforn. Testicular ACE represents the C-terninal half of the lung enzynte with a nolecular nass of 8O kDa and 701 anno acid residues. Testicular ACE is the product of a testis specifc ,raRNA and is hornonally regulated depending on androgen. While ACE has been conpletely characterized biochenically, its biological role is still unknown. In the rat, the highest ACE activities are found in the testis and epididl'mis. Increasing concentrations are obsened fron the caput to the cauda epididymis.
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Schill et al. (1996) studied this question.
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