Adiponectin Alleviates Intestinal Fibrosis by Enhancing AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphorylation

Intestinal fibrosis is a common complication of Crohn's disease (CD). Adiponectin reportedly exerts anti-inflammatory effects in various disease models, including colitis models.

In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of adiponectin on intestinal fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms.

A murine model of intestinal fibrosis was established by administering increasing doses of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid to Balb/c mice via enema for 7 weeks. Primary human fibroblasts were isolated from the colon tissues of patients with CD. The fibroblasts were incubated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 to establish a fibrosis model in vitro. Pathway inhibitors were used to verify the potential signaling pathways involved in the anti-fibrogenic effect of adiponectin.

Compared with the normal mesentery, adiponectin expression was significantly increased in the hypertrophic mesentery of patients with CD. Intraperitoneal injection of adiponectin significantly decreased the activity of myeloperoxidase and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6) in the colon of fibrosis model mice, whereas the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 was substantially increased. Moreover, adiponectin treatment inhibited colon shortening, decreased colon weight, and reduced fibrotic protein deposition in the model mice. Adiponectin reduced the phosphorylation of Smad2 and collagen deposition induced by TGF-β1 in primary human intestinal fibroblasts, with an increase in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. Furthermore, this phenomenon was reversed by the AMPK inhibitor.

Adiponectin can protect against intestinal fibrosis by enhancing the phosphorylation of AMPK and inhibiting the activity of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.