Induction of renin-angiotensin system in human testis in vivo.

To better understand the local renin-angiotensin system in Leydig cells of the human testis, the plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma concentration of angiotensin II (PAII) in the left internal spermatic vein (ISV) and cubital vein (CV) were measured at the time of surgical repair of varicocele in 27 patients. Fourteen of the patients were given a single i.m. injection of hCG (10,000 IU/m2) 4 days before the operation, whereas the remaining 13 were not treated. Although the mean PRA or PAII levels in the CV in the treated and nontreated groups were similar, both levels in the ISV in the treated group were significantly higher than in the nontreated group (p less than 0.05). For PAII levels in the treated group, nine of 11 patients with an increased PRA level showed significantly higher levels than the normal peripheral PAII value. The serum testosterone levels in the same ISV were also much higher in the treated group than in the nontreated group (p less than 0.001). These results suggested the possibility that sex steroids might influence the renin-angiotensin system in Leydig cells.