Low Serum Maresin-1 Levels Are Associated with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Maresin-1 is one of anti-inflammatory pro-resolving mediators, which is considered as a potential regulator of metabolic diseases. However, little information is available on the relationship between Maresin-1 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans. Therefore, this study explored the associations between serum Maresin-1 levels and NAFLD. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 240 Chinese people, including 116 non-NAFLD subjects and 124 NAFLD patients. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Serum Maresin-1 levels were determined by ELISA. The association between Maresin-1 and NAFLD was assessed. Results Serum Maresin-1 levels in NAFLD patients were markedly lower than those in non-NAFLD subjects (63.63 [59.87–73.93] vs 73.11 [65.12–84.50] pg/mL, P = 0.000). The percentages of patients with NAFLD gradually decreased in tandem with increasing quartiles of Maresin-1 (P < 0.001). Furthermore, serum Maresin-1 levels were positively associated with AST/ALT, albumin, Albumin-globulin-ratio, and HDL-C (all P < 0.05) and negatively associated with BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, ALT, GGT, uric acid, TG, and FBG (all P < 0.05) after adjusting for sex and age. We found that serum Maresin-1 levels were significantly associated with NAFLD by binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusions Circulating Maresin-1 levels were decreased in patients with NAFLD, and there was a negative correlation between NAFLD and serum Maresin-1 concentrations. Decreased Maresin-1 might be involved in the development of NAFLD.