scholarly journals Regulation of Male Fertility by the Renin-Angiotensin System

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 7943
Author(s):  
Marta Gianzo ◽  
Nerea Subirán
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Male Infertility ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin ◽  
Plasma Electrolytes ◽  
Sperm Functions

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a peptidic system known mainly for its roles in the maintenance of blood pressure and electrolyte and fluid homeostasis. However, several tissues and cells have been described to possess an intrinsic RAS that acts locally through different paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. In the male reproductive system, several components of this system have been observed in various organs and tissues, such as the testes, spermatozoa and seminal fluid. Some functions attributed to this local RAS are maintenance of seminal plasma electrolytes, regulation of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis, and sperm functions. However, their specific actions in these locations are not fully understood. Therefore, a deep knowledge of the functions of the RAS at both the testicular and seminal levels could clarify its roles in male infertility and sperm physiology, and the different RAS elements could be used to design tools enabling the diagnosis and/or treatment of male infertility.

scholarly journals Renin Angiotensin System, COVID-19 and Male Fertility: Any Risk for Conceiving?

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1492
Author(s):  
Lorella Pascolo ◽  
Gabriella Zito ◽  
Luisa Zupin ◽  
Stefania Luppi ◽  
Elena Giolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin

The current knowledge concerning the connection between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) system in the male reproductive apparatus is still limited, so dedicated studies are urgently required. Concerns about the male fertility consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection have started to emerge, since epidemiologic studies observed that this coronavirus affects male patients more frequently and with increased severity, possibly because of the hormone-regulated expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. A disturbance in fertility is also expected based on studies of the previous SARS-CoV infection, which targets the same ACE2 receptor when entering the host cells. In addition, bioinformatics analyses reveal the abundant expression of ACE2 receptor in the male reproductive tissues, particularly in the testis. It has been proposed that pharmacological intervention favoring the angiotensin-(1–7)/ACE2/Mas receptor pathway and increasing ACE2 expression and activity could greatly prevent inflammatory lesions in this area. Finally, in laboratories performing assisted reproductive technologies it is recommended that more attention should be paid not only to sperm quality but also to safety aspects. Data about the potential infectivity of seminal fluid are in fact conflicting and do not exclude risks for both personnel and patients. The potential infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in reproductive male tissues should be strongly considered and further investigated for the proper management of in vitro fertilization procedures.

Terlipressin Versus  Norepinephrine to Correct Refractory Arterial Hypotension after General Anesthesia in Patients Chronically Treated with Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1338-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Boccara ◽  
Alexandre Ouattara ◽  
Gilles Godet ◽  
Eric Dufresne ◽  
Michèle Bertrand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
General Anesthesia ◽  
Arterial Blood Pressure ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Arterial Hypotension ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Systolic Arterial Blood Pressure

Background Terlipressin, a precursor that is metabolized to lysine-vasopressin, has been proposed as a drug for treatment of intraoperative arterial hypotension refractory to ephedrine in patients who have received long-term treatment with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. The authors compared the effectiveness of terlipressin and norepinephrine to correct hypotension in these patients. Methods Among 42 patients scheduled for elective carotid endarterectomy, 20 had arterial hypotension following general anesthesia that was refractory to ephedrine. These patients were the basis of the study. After randomization, they received either 1 mg intravenous terlipressin (n = 10) or norepinephrine infusion (n = 10). Beat-by-beat recordings of systolic arterial blood pressure and heart rate were stored on a computer. The intraoperative maximum and minimum values of blood pressure and heart rate, and the time spent with systolic arterial blood pressure below 90 mmHg and above 160 mmHg, were used as indices of hemodynamic stability. Data are expressed as median (95% confidence interval). Results Terlipressin and norepinephrine corrected arterial hypotension in all cases. However, time spent with systolic arterial blood pressure below 90 mmHg was less in the terlipressin group (0 s [0-120 s] vs. 510 s [120-1011 s]; P < 0.001). Nonresponse to treatment (defined as three boluses of terlipressin or three changes in norepinephrine infusion) occurred in zero and eight cases (P < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions In patients who received long-term treatment with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, intraoperative refractory arterial hypotension was corrected with both terlipressin and norepinephrine. However, terlipressin was more rapidly effective for maintaining normal systolic arterial blood pressure during general anesthesia.

scholarly journals Divergent mechanism regulating fluid intake and metabolism by the brain renin-angiotensin system

2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (3) ◽  
pp. R313-R320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Curt D. Sigmund
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Fluid Intake ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Metabolic Effects ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin ◽  
Intracellular Form ◽  
Efferent Pathways ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Pituitary Adrenal Axis

The purpose of this review is two-fold. First, I will highlight recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms regulating angiotensin II (ANG II) synthesis in the brain, focusing on evidence that renin is expressed in the brain and is expressed in two forms: a secreted form, which may catalyze extracellular ANG I generation from glial or neuronal angiotensinogen (AGT), and an intracellular form, which may generate intracellular ANG in neurons that may act as a neurotransmitter. Second, I will discuss recent studies that advance the concept that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the brain not only is a potent regulator of blood pressure and fluid intake but may also regulate metabolism. The efferent pathways regulating the blood pressure/dipsogenic effects and the metabolic effects of elevated central RAS activity appear different, with the former being dependent upon the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and the latter being dependent upon an interaction between the brain and the systemic (or adipose) RAS.

Renin-angiotensin system in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

1979 ◽  
Vol 236 (3) ◽  
pp. H409-H416 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shibota ◽  
A. Nagaoka ◽  
A. Shino ◽  
T. Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Plasma Renin ◽  
Malignant Hypertension ◽  
Hypertensive Rats ◽  
Salt Loading ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Spontaneously Hypertensive ◽  
Renin Angiotensin

The development of malignant hypertension was studied in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) kept on 1% NaCl as drinking water. Along with salt-loading, blood pressure gradually increased and reached a severe hypertensive level (greater than 230 mmHg), which was followed by increases in urinary protein (greater than 100 (mg/250 g body wt)/day) and plasma renin concentration (PRC, from 18.9 +/- 0.1 to 51.2 +/- 19.4 (ng/ml)/h, mean +/- SD). At this stage, renal small arteries and arterioles showed severe sclerosis and fibrinoid necrosis. Stroke was observed within a week after the onset of these renal abnormalities. The dose of exogenous angiotensin II (AII) producing 30 mmHg rise in blood pressure increased with the elevation of PRC, from 22 +/- 12 to 75 +/- 36 ng/kg, which was comparable to that in rats on water. The fall of blood pressure due to an AII inhibitor, [1-sarcosine, 8-alanine]AII (10(microgram/kg)/min for 40 min) became more prominent with the increase in PRC in salt-loaded rats, but was not detected in rats on water. These findings suggest that the activation of renin-angiotensin system participates in malignant hypertension of salt-loaded stroke-prone SHR rats that show stroke signs, proteinuria, hyperreninemia, and renovascular changes.

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