Maresin 1 ameliorates iron-deficient anemia in IL-10(-/-) mice with spontaneous colitis by the inhibition of hepcidin expression though the IL-6/STAT3 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from anemia, which is prevalently caused by iron deficiency. Maresin 1 (MaR1) is a novel docosahexaenoic acid-derived pro-resolving agent that promotes the resolution of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of MaR1 on iron-deficient anemia in IL-10 knockout (IL-10(-/-)) mice with spontaneous chronic colitis. METHODS: IL-10(-/-) mice of 16 weeks of age with established colitis were used for the experiments with MaR1 treatment for 2 weeks. Histologic injury, CD4+ lymphocyte values in the lamina propria, blood hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron concentrations, transferrin saturation, splenic iron stores, levels of inflammatory cytokines, expression of liver hepcidin mRNA, and western blotting of STAT3 were analyzed in this study. RESULTS: MaR1 treatment (0.3 ng/mouse) effectively attenuated histological colitis typically associated with decreased CD4+ lymphocytes in the lamina propria as well as the concentrations of MPO, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-17 (P<0.05). Furthermore, reduced expression of liver hepcidin mRNA and p-STAT3 expression, as well as increased hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, levels of serum iron, transferrin saturation and splenic iron stores were found in IL-10(-/-) mice after MaR1 treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that MaR1 treatment ameliorates iron-deficient anemia by reducing colonic inflammation and inhibiting hepcidin expression though the IL-6/STAT3 pathway.