Kallikrein in the male reproductive system

Male genital organs were stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method to know the location of kallikrein. Sertoli cells of the testis, epithelial cells that existed from the body to the tail of the epididymis, and glandular cells of the prostate were specifically stained showing that kallikrein was produced in these cells. The concentration of kallikrein in the semen specimens mainly from patients with male sterility and from those who were subjected to vasoligation and in the prostatic fluid specimens from normal controls were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results of column chromatography suggested that kallikrein combined with the other substances to form a high molecular compound in the semen. The kallikrein level in the semen from the normal control was 40.4 +/- 21.3 ng/ml, which was more than 10 times that in the blood. The value tended to increase with the decrease of the number of spermatozoa. The kallikrein level in the semen from patients with azoospermia was 74.2 +/- 23.5 ng/ml, which was significantly higher than that of the normal control. There was no significant correlation between the kallikrein level and the sperm motility. The kallikrein level in the semen from the patients subjected to vasoligation, which did not contain the semen originated from the testis, and that in the prostatic fluid from the normal control were 20-28 ng/ml. That amount was considered to be secreted from the prostate. The oral administration of hog kallikrein tablet augmented seminal human kallikrein and Acid-P secretion. Moreover, an improvement of seminalysis was observed following long term administration of 600 U/day of hog kallikrein in the male infertile patients. This drug might be useful to treat the male infertile patients with this disorder.