The Relationship between Maresin-1 Levels and Disease Activity in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Maresin-1 is considered to be a potential regulator of inflammatory disease through its anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties. However, no study to date has investigated Maresin-1 levels in Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to measure serum levels of Maresin-1 in patients with CD and to assess possible effects on disease activity.

Thirty patients with active CD, 30 patients with CD in remission, and 30 healthy individuals were included in the study. Clinical and demographic features of patients were obtained from the hospital database. Serum Maresin-1 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Maresin-1 level was 215.74 (118.55 - 327.46) pg/mL in the active group, 413.29 (215.82 - 726.82) pg/mL in the remission group, and 753.4 (381.5 - 901.08) pg/mL in controls (p < 0.05). An inverse correlation was found be-tween Maresin-1 and CRP in patients with active CD (p = 0.039). A Maresin-1 cutoff value of < 607.38 pg/mL showed 96.67% sensitivity and 80% specificity for the identification of CD patients in remission from controls (AUC = 0.919), while a < 327.46 pg/L cutoff yielded a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 100% to distinguish active CD from controls (AUC = 0.999), and finally, a < 296.28 pg/mL cutoff was also significant in identifying pa-tients with active CD from those with remission (sensitivity: 96.67%, specificity: 80%, AUC = 0.946). According to multivariable logistic regression, CD patients with decreased Maresin-1 had increased likelihood of having active disease (OR: 0.942, 95% CI = 0.892 - 0.994, p = 0.031).

This was the first study to examine circulating levels of Maresin-1 in CD patients and showed that patients with active disease and those in remission had significantly lower values compared to controls. Our results suggest that Maresin-1 levels might be involved in the pathogenesis of CD. Serum Maresin-1 could be used as a diagnostic biomarker in predicting inflammation in CD and may emerge as a target for treatment.