title: Secretion of prorenin by a virilizing ovarian tumor.
abstract: A 53-year-old normotensive, normokalemic female presented with a 6-month history of virilization. Estradiol, LH, FSH, urinary-free cortisol, and DHEA-S levels were normal. Pelvic ultrasound and computerized tomography were also within normal limits. Her serum testosterone (551 ng/dl; nl, 20-70) and plasma prorenin (124 ng AI/ml/hr; nl, less than 50) levels were elevated. At surgery, a lipoid/steroid cell tumor of the right ovary was removed. Postoperative testosterone and prorenin levels were normal. Ovarian tumor cells, in culture, produced large amounts of prorenin. Immunohistochemistry localized prorenin and/or renin to tumor cells. Determining plasma prorenin levels may be a useful adjunct in diagnosing or following patients with nonepithelial ovarian tumors. A larger clinical study of prorenin levels in patients with such tumors is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center 90033.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: d'Ablaing
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherrod
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Do
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012083:Renin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D013739:Testosterone; D012083:Renin