MicroRNA‑126 protects SH‑SY5Y cells from ischemia/reperfusion injury‑induced apoptosis by inhibiting RAB3IP

MicroRNA (miR)‑126 is known to inhibit inflammatory responses in various inflammatory‑related diseases, but its role during the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. The present study aimed to examine the interaction between miR‑126 and RAB3A interacting protein (RAB3IP), and explore its potential protective effects during I/R injury. The human neuroblastoma cell line SH‑SY5Y was cultured in an oxygen‑glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) environment to simulate I/R injury to assess miR‑126 expression and cell viability. SH‑SY5Y cells cultured in normal conditions were used as a negative control (NC) group. SH‑SY5Y cells were transfected with a miR‑126 mimic or an NC mimic, then cultured in OGD/R conditions; in rescue experiments, SH‑SY5Y cells were co‑transfected with RAB3IP overexpression or NC plasmid together with mimic‑NC or mimic‑miR, and then maintained in an OGD/R environment to evaluate miR‑126, RAB3IP expression, cell viability and apoptosis. Cell viability was reduced in the Model group compared with the NC group, suggesting the successful construction of the OGD/R model. miR‑126 expression was downregulated in the Model group compared with the NC group. However, following transfection with mimic‑miR, cell viability increased compared with the mimic‑NC group. Annexin V and PI staining and Hoechst/PI assays also indicated that apoptosis was reduced in the mimic‑miR group compared with the mimic‑NC group. RAB3IP expression was reduced following mimic‑miR transfection. In rescue experiments, miR‑126 negatively regulated RAB3IP expression; by contrast, RAB3IP did not affect that of miR‑126. In addition, RAB3IP overexpression attenuated the protective effect of miR‑126 on OGD/R‑induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that miR‑126 protects against cerebral I/R injury by targeting RAB3IP.