Mesobiliverdin IXα ameliorate DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress in mice

Abstract

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are enduring conditions distinguished by inflammation of the intestines and the presence of oxidative stress. The present work aimed to examine the possible mitigating effects of Mesobiliverdin IXα (MBV), a bioactive tetrapyrrole metabolite, on colitis produced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in mice. The mice were divided into four groups: control, DSS, MBV5, and MBV20. The DSS group was administered DSS to induce colitis, while the MBV5 and MBV20 groups received daily doses of Mesobiliverdin IXα at concentrations of 5 μM and 20 μM, respectively, along with DSS treatment. The control group was given a normal diet without DSS. Our results showed that DSS treatment caused significant weight loss in the mice, whereas MBV administration effectively mitigated this weight loss. Although the body weight did not fully recover to the normal level, MBV treatment led to significant improvements in colon weight, colon length, and the ratio of colon weight to colon length. Histological analysis revealed that MBV alleviated the damage to the colon tissue caused by DSS-induced inflammation. Moreover, MBV significantly reduced myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, indicating a reduction in neutrophil activation and inflammation. Overall, our findings demonstrate that MBV effectively mitigates inflammation and oxidative stress in DSS-induced colitis in mice. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of MBV as a natural compound derived from microalgae, which warrants further investigation for the treatment of IBDs in humans.