Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 604-610, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
FM Kohn, I Dammshauser, C Neukamm, H Renneberg, WE Siems, WB Schill and G Aumuller
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is known to be released from human
spermatozoa during capacitation. However, it has not yet been localized
ultrastructurally in ejaculated sperm cells. Therefore, the purpose of the
present study was to demonstrate the location of ACE by means of
immunoelectron microscopy and direct immunofluorescence. In addition, ACE
activity of spermatozoa was correlated with standard semen parameters. The
activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme was measured in spermatozoa from
115 donors and patients attending the andrological outpatient department.
Progressive motility was negatively correlated with sperm ACE activity
(Spearman rank correlation r=-0.364, P < 0.0001), whereas no
statistically significant correlations with sperm concentration, total
motility and morphology were observed. Immunoelectron microscopy
demonstrated that ACE is mainly located at the plasma membrane of the
acrosomal region, equatorial segment, postacrosomal region and midpiece. In
contrast, only weak ACE-like immunoreactivity was found at the flagellum.
In cases of cells with missing plasma membranes ACE seems also to be
located at the surface of the outer acrosomal membrane. By means of
immunohistochemical methods, different patterns of ACE-like
immunofluorescence were observed: (i) fluorescence of the acrosome or the
entire sperm head, midpiece and flagellum; (ii) fluorescence of the
postacrosomal region, midpiece and flagellum; (iii) bright fluorescence of
the equatorial segment with less intensive labelling of the postacrosomal
region and flagellum. Induction of the acrosome reaction by calcium
ionophore A23187 resulted in an increase of spermatozoa with weak acrosomal
fluorescence, indicating loss of the plasma membrane.
ARTICLES
Ultrastructural localization of angiotensin-converting enzyme in ejaculated human spermatozoa
Center of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
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