Variable distribution of aminopeptidase A in male reproductive organs of mammals.

Aminopeptidase A (AP-A) was analysed in the reproductive organs of the boar, bull, gerbil and man. High hydrolysis of alpha-L-glutamyl-beta-naphthylamide (GluNA) and alpha-L-aspartyl-beta-naphthylamide (AspNA) with activation by alkaline earth metals was detected in the ampulla, seminal vesicles, and seminal vesicle secretions of the bull and in the cauda epididymis of the boar and gerbil. In man, weak AP-A activity was found in all reproductive tissues. Histochemically, AP-A was localized in the epithelial cells of tissues having a high specific activity for the enzyme. AP-A was absent from human seminal fluid, whilst bovine seminal fluid had strong, and boar seminal fluid weaker, AP-A activity. Gel filtration of bull seminal vesicle secretions and seminal fluid, boar seminal fluid or an homogenate of boar and gerbil epididymal cauda and human epididymis and seminal vesicles on Sephacryl S-300 resulted in a major high-molecular-weight activity peak A at Ve/Vo = 1.17 and another low-molecular-weight peak B at Ve/Vo = 1.51 (man), 1.62 (boar, bull) or 1.75 (gerbil). This fractionation was not in all cases able to separate AP-A from aminopeptidase(s), which were active on L-alanine-beta-naphthylamide (AlaNA) but showed no activation by alkaline earth metals. Homogenates of bovine epididymis showed only the low-molecular-weight GluNA peak B, but two areas of activity for AlaNA hydrolysis. In bovine seminal vesicles and porcine epididymis, AP-A activity appeared to be linked with the functional maturity of these organs. The high-molecular-weight AP-A (peak A) appeared to be the predominant form in seminal fluid.