Background/Aim: Leptin is a small hormone of protein nature, it is strongly involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism and its functioning mechanism is not yet well known or whether or not it is actually secreted by cholangiocytes, nor if the biliary tree expresses its receptors. In the past, various studies have tried to correlate leptin levels with certain neoplasms. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that serum leptin values can become a new sensitive and specific serum marker for cholangiocarcinoma. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two patients with gallbladder stones, hepatolithiasis with benign biliary stenosis, cholangiocarcinoma, and a group of patients without hepato-biliary diseases were enrolled in the study. In all cases blood and bile samples were collected for evaluation of leptin levels and liver biopsies were performed to confirm diagnosis. In all patients, both ultrasound and cholangio-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to complete the diagnostic procedure. Results: Twenty-two patients were affected by cholangiocarcinoma, 50 by benign biliary disease (35 cholelithiasis and 6 hepatolithiasis and 9 by inflammatory biliary stenosis). The mean values of serum leptin in patients with cholangiocarcinoma were 19.28±8.76 ng/ml, significantly higher than those observed in non-neoplastic biliary diseases. Conclusion: Serum leptin levels might be a useful marker to differentiate patients with cholangiocarcinoma from those with biliary lithiasis and inflammatory stenosis.

中文翻译：

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瘦素在肿瘤和胆管系统疾病中的作用

背景/目的：瘦素是一种蛋白质性质的小激素，它强烈参与脂质代谢的调节，其作用机制尚不清楚，是否真的由胆管细胞分泌，胆管树是否表达其功能尚不清楚。受体。过去，各种研究试图将瘦素水平与某些肿瘤相关联。本研究的目的是证明血清瘦素值可以成为胆管癌新的敏感和特异的血清标志物。材料与方法：72例胆囊结石、肝胆管结石伴良性胆管狭窄、胆管癌患者和一组无肝胆系统疾病患者纳入研究。在所有情况下，收集血液和胆汁样本用于评估瘦素水平，并进行肝脏活检以确认诊断。在所有患者中，均进行了超声和胆管磁共振成像 (MRI) 以完成诊断程序。结果：胆管癌22例，良性胆道疾病50例（胆石症35例，肝胆管结石6例，炎性胆管狭窄9例）。胆管癌患者血清瘦素平均值为19.28±8.76 ng/ml，明显高于非肿瘤性胆道疾病。结论：血清瘦素水平可能是区分胆管癌患者与胆道结石和炎性狭窄患者的有用标志物。进行了超声和胆管磁共振成像 (MRI) 以完成诊断程序。结果：胆管癌22例，良性胆道疾病50例（胆石症35例，肝胆管结石6例，炎性胆管狭窄9例）。胆管癌患者血清瘦素平均值为19.28±8.76 ng/ml，明显高于非肿瘤性胆道疾病。结论：血清瘦素水平可能是区分胆管癌患者与胆道结石和炎性狭窄患者的有用标志物。进行了超声和胆管磁共振成像 (MRI) 以完成诊断程序。结果：胆管癌22例，良性胆道疾病50例（胆石症35例，肝胆管结石6例，炎性胆管狭窄9例）。胆管癌患者血清瘦素平均值为19.28±8.76 ng/ml，明显高于非肿瘤性胆道疾病。结论：血清瘦素水平可能是区分胆管癌患者与胆道结石和炎性狭窄患者的有用标志物。50 例由良性胆道疾病引起（35 例胆石症和 6 例肝内胆管结石，9 例由炎性胆管狭窄引起）。胆管癌患者血清瘦素平均值为19.28±8.76 ng/ml，明显高于非肿瘤性胆道疾病。结论：血清瘦素水平可能是区分胆管癌患者与胆道结石和炎性狭窄患者的有用标志物。50 例由良性胆道疾病引起（35 例胆石症和 6 例肝内胆管结石，9 例由炎性胆管狭窄引起）。胆管癌患者血清瘦素平均值为19.28±8.76 ng/ml，明显高于非肿瘤性胆道疾病。结论：血清瘦素水平可能是区分胆管癌患者与胆道结石和炎性狭窄患者的有用标志物。