Studies on the components of kallikrein-kinin system and treatment of male infertility.

Abstract

The kininase activity in the seminal plasma was identified with kininase II (angiotensin-converting enzyme) by thin layer chromatography and its activity of infertile patients was significantly lower than in normozoospermic patients. The amount of proteinase inhibitor in the seminal plasma was 7.0 ± 0.9 trypsin inhibitor unit/ml, however no correlation was found between its activity and semen quality.The effects of bradykinin and kallikrein on the velocity and motility of washed human spermatozoa were measured by multiple exposure photography method. The addition bradykinin at each concentration of 0.1ng/ml and 1.0ng/ml to the washed spermatozoa resulted in an increase of velocity and motility. The same effect as bradykinin on the spermatozoa was found in the presence of 0.1 KU/ml and 1.0 KU/ml of kallikrein.In order to determine the effect of kallikrein on the concentrations of seminal fluid components, infertile men were treated orally for 6 months. Following determinations of volume, motility and sperm density, the concen-trations of kininase II, proteinase inhibitor, lactate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase were measured. Sperm motility and density were increased dur-ing treatment. Mean values of the parameters in the ejaculate unchanged, with the exception of kininase II, which exhibited significantly higher con-centration under treatment.Of a total of 131 men treated, 23 pregnancies (17.6%) is established be-tween the first and the sixth month.Thus, present work shows that the components of kallikrein-kinin system participate in spermatogenesis and sperm motility.