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Prorenin Secretion From Human Testis: No Evidence for Secretion of Active Renin or Angiotensinogen^*

Cardiovascular Center, Department of Medicine (J.E.S., T.P., N.G., J.H.L.),the Male Reproduction and Microsurgery Unit, Division of Urology (M.G.) New York, New York 10021
The Department of Anesthesia (T.T.K., S.A.F.), New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, and The Population Council Center for Biomedical Research, (M.G.) New York, New York 10021

Address requests for reprints to: Jean E. Sealey, D.Sc, Cardiovascular Center, New York Hospital, 525 East 68 Street, New York, New York 10021.

To determine if the testis secretes active renin and prorenin, we collected internal spermatic venous blood from 29 young men undergoing varicocelectomy and measured plasma prorenin and active renin together with angiotensinogen and testosterone. Prorenin was higher in internal spermatic venous plasma than in peripheral plasma (+5.3 ± 1.2 (±SE) ng/mL·h [+1.21 ng/(L·s)]; P < 0.001) as was testosterone [+344 ± 32 ng/mL [(+1193 nmol/L); P < 0.001], but there was no significant difference in either active renin (–0.74 ± 0.45 ng/mL·h [–0.17ng/(L·s)] or angiotensinogen [+12 ± 24 ng/mL (+0.01 µmol/L)]. These results demonstrate that the testis secretes prorenin, but not active renin or angiotensinogen, into the general circulation. They support the hypothesis that extrarenal renin systems cannot process prorenin to renin.

^* This work was supported by the NHLBI (Grant HL-18323SCR) of the NIH.

Received October 20, 1987.

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