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The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 82, No. 12 4154-4161
Copyright © 1997 by The Endocrine Society

Original Studies

Evidence for Production and Functional Activity of Nitric Oxide in Seminiferous Tubules and Blood Vessels of the Human Testis1

R. Middendorff, D. Müller, S. Wichers, A. F. Holstein and M. S. Davidoff

Institute of Anatomy (R.M., S.W., A.F.H., M.S.D.) and Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research (D.M.), University of Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Ralf Middendorff, Institute of Anatomy, University of Hamburg, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Previous studies have demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) influences Leydig cell function. Here we provide evidence for NO production and activity in seminiferous tubules and blood vessels of the human testis. By immunohistochemistry, the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), the intracellular NO receptor, and the second messenger, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), were detected in myofibroblasts of the peritubular lamina propria in Sertoli cells, as well as in endothelial and smooth muscle cells of testicular blood vessels. Performed with isolated tubules and blood vessels, the biological activity of sGC could be proved by cGMP generation in response to treatments with the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside. The endothelial and neuronal subtypes of NO synthase (NOS) were localized immunohistochemically to the same cell types that express sGC and cGMP. In isolated tubules and vessels, the presence of endothelial NOS and neuronal NOS was confirmed by immunoblotting, and NOS activity was demonstrated by decreased cGMP production upon incubation with the NOS inhibitor L-nitro arginine methylester. These findings show that peritubular cells, Sertoli cells, and testicular blood vessels may be sites of NO production and activity, possibly involved in relaxation of seminiferous tubules and blood vessels to modulate sperm transport and testicular blood flow, respectively.




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