ADAMTS13 Deficiency Worsens Colitis and Exogenous ADAMTS13 Administration Decreases Colitis Severity in Mice

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects 1.6 million people in the United States. IBD is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, which rises with disease activity. The pathogenesis of IBD and its increased thrombotic risk is not completely understood. Ultra large von Willebrand factor (ULVWF) multimers are secreted from activated endothelium, leading to recruitment of platelets and leukocytes. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type I repeats motif 13 (ADAMTS13) cleaves highly adhesive ULVWF into smaller, less bioactive, multimers, releasing them into circulation. Mice deficient in ADAMTS13 (ADAMTS13−/−) have heightened inflammatory and thrombotic responses. Objectives We hypothesized that upon colitis induction, ADAMTS13−/− mice would have more severe symptoms compared with wild-type (WT) mice, and rhADAMTS13 administration to mice with colitis would improve their condition. Results Dextran sodium sulfate–induced colitis was worse in ADAMTS13−/− mice than WT. ADAMTS13−/− showed increased weight loss, worse anemia, and increased clinical and histologic colitis severity, compared with WT mice. ADAMTS13−/− mice had increased VWF release, with accumulation at inflamed colonic sites. Also, the majority of mice showed one or more submucosal colonic thrombi. ADAMTS13 deficiency worsened colitis and propagated intestinal inflammation, most likely through increased platelet–leukocyte recruitment by VWF. Treatment of WT mice with rhADAMTS13 decreased colitis severity without worsening anemia. Additionally, several immune-mediated chronic murine colitis models, and inflamed colon tissue specimens from IBD patients, showed increased VWF release at inflamed sites, suggesting a generalizability of our findings. Conclusion Measuring VWF/ADAMTS13 levels could have clinical utility. When applicable, the administration of ADAMTS13, in addition to primary treatment, may improve outcomes for IBD patients.