miR-146a down-regulation alleviates H2O2-induced cytotoxicity of PC12 cells by regulating MCL1/JAK/STAT pathway : miR-146a down-regulation relieves H2O2-induced PC12 cells cytotoxicity by MCL1/JAK/STAT.

Oxidative stress and miRNAs have been confirmed to play an important role in neurological diseases. The study aimed to explore the underlying effect and mechanisms of miR-146a in H2O2-induced injury of PC12 cells. Here, PC12 cells were stimulated with 200 μM of H2O2 to construct oxidative injury model. Cell injury was evaluated on the basis of the changes in cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and DNA damage. Results revealed that miR-146a expression was up-regulated in H2O2-induced PC12 cells. Functional analysis showed that down-regulation of miR-146a alleviated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. Dual-luciferase reporter and western blot assay verified that MCL1 was a direct target gene of miR-146a. Moreover, anti-miR-146a-mediated suppression on cell cytotoxicity was abated following MCL1 knockdown in H2O2-induced PC12 cells. Furthermore, MCL1 activated JAK/STAT signaling pathway and MCL1 overexpression attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells by JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study suggested that suppression of miR-146a abated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells via regulating MCL1/JAK/STAT pathway.