May a lymphocytic infiltration have a pathogenic role in an aldosterone-producing adrenal tumor?
A 38-year-old woman is described to have a primary hyperaldosteronism due to an aldosteronoma with foci of lymphocytic infiltration. The finding suggests: a concomitant lymphoid adrenalitis; or, an immunological attack to neoplastic cells. The hypothesis is that there may be a relationship in the association. The lymphocytic infiltrates could have a pathogenic role in the development of the aldosterone-producing adrenocortical neoplasm by interrupting some inhibitory mechanism(s) of the cells that secrete aldosterone.
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008954:Models, Biological
D000450:Aldosterone