title: MicroRNA-124 protects neurons against apoptosis in cerebral ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the role and underlying mechanism of miR-124 in stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  miR-124 expression was determined by real-time PCR. The effect of miR-124 on infarct area was assessed in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. The influence of miR-124 on oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) induced neuron apoptosis and death was examined by immunofluorescence. The effect of miR-124 on apoptosis-related proteins was determined by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of miR-124 is significantly increased in ischemic penumbra as compared with that in nonischemic area of MACO mice. Brain tissue of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) also showed higher level of miR-124 as compared with that of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Consistently, OGD treatment obviously increased miR-124 level in primary neurons. In vivo, miR-124 overexpression significantly decreased, while miR-124 knockdown significantly increased, the infarct area of MCAO mice. In vitro, gain or loss of miR-124 function resulted in reduced or increased neuron apoptosis and death induced by OGD, and increased or reduced antiapoptosis protein, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-124 plays a neurons-protective role via apoptosis-inhibiting pathway in ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhu-Min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Min-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jun-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D020521:Stroke / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: C548144:MIRN124 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs; C540079:Mirn124 microRNA, mouse; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents
keywords: Apoptosis; MicorRNA-124; Neuron; Stroke