MiR-363-3p attenuates neonatal hypoxic-ischemia encephalopathy by targeting DUSP5

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemia encephalopathy (HIE) refers to hypoxic-ischemic brain damage caused by perinatal asphyxia. Increasing evidence has revealed the crucial roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in neonatal HIE. In the current research, we aimed to explore the biological role of miR-363-3p in neonatal HIE. For this purpose, we established in vitro models of PC-12 and SH-SY5Y cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) and an in vivo rat model subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) treatment. First, using H&E staining, TTC staining, and western blot analysis, we observed that DUSP5 knockdown suppressed HIE in vivo. Then, by performing flow cytometric analysis, western blotting, RT-qPCR, and MTT assays, we observed that DUSP5 silencing suppressed OGD/R-induced cell injury in vitro. Subsequently, we explored the potential regulatory mechanism of DUSP5 in OGD/R-treated cells with luciferase reporter assays and RT-qPCR analysis. The results demonstrated that DUSP5 was targeted by miR-363-3p. Next, functional assays, including flow cytometric analysis, MTT assays, western blotting and RT-qPCR, were conducted to explore the biological functions of miR-363-3p in SH-SY5Y and PC-12 cells. Our data showed that miR-363-3p overexpression suppressed OGD/R-induced cell injury. Finally, the results from rescue experiments showed that enhanced DUSP5 expression counteracted the effect of miR-363-3p overexpression. In conclusion, our data suggested that miR-363-3p attenuates neonatal HIE by targeting DUSP5.