Study on the ameliorating effect of miR-221-3p on the nerve cells injury induced by sevoflurane

Purpose Sevoflurane is a widely used anesthetics, however, it has been reported that sevoflurane has neurotoxic effects. Studies have shown that miR-221-3p can ameliorate neuron damage. This study was to investigate whether miR-221-3p could reduce the neurotoxic effect of sevoflurane on nerve cells.Materials and methods The rat hippocampal neuron cells were treated with sevoflurane or cultured normally. And we constructed neuron cells that overexpressed or low expression of miR-221-3p in the presence or absence of sevoflurane. The cells were transfected with CDKN1B or siCDKN1B, and co-transfected with miR-221-3p mimic and CDKN1B or miR-221-3p inhibitor and siCDKN1B. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometer. Target gene of miR-221-3p were predicted by TargetScan and luciferase reporter assay. The expressions of related genes were detected by western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results Sevoflurane decreased miR-221-3p level and increased CDKN1B level, inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis. Overexpress of miR-221-3p decreased CDKN1B level, up-regulated cell viability and inhibited apoptosis, and reversed the effects of sevoflurane on cell viability and apoptosis, while the effects low expression of miR-221-3p was contrary. CDKN1B was the target gene of miR-221-3p, which inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis, and reversed the effects of miR-221-3p mimic, whereas siCDKN1B did the opposite effects.Conclusions Sevoflurane can cause nerve cell injury, and miR-221-3p may promote cell activity and inhibit apoptosis by inhibiting CDKN1B expression, thereby ameliorating cell injury induced by sevoflurane.