Effect of microRNA-155 on regulation of angiogenesis in diabetic rats with cerebral ischemic injury

AIM: To evaluate the effect of microRNA-155(miRNA-155) on the regulation of angiogenesis in diabetic rats with cerebral ischemic injury. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:sham group, cerebral ischemia group, diabetic cerebral ischemia group, diabetic cerebral ischemia+miRNA-155 inhibitors group and diabetic cerebral ischemia+scramble group. Diabetes model was made by injection of streptozocin and permanent cerebral ischemic model was developed by suture-occluded method. The scores of neurological deficit and infarct volume were estimated at 24 h after cerebral ischemia. miRNA-155 level was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1(PECAM-1/CD31) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: miRNA-155 inhibitor significantly reduced miRNA-155 levels in the ischemic cortex(P<0.05), improved the scores of neurological deficit, reduced infarction size and upregulated the levels of CD31 and VEGF(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: miRNA-155 has a critical role in the regulation of angiogenesis in diabetic rats with cerebral ischemia. Down-regulation of miRNA-155 using miRNA-155 inhibitor attenuates brain infarct injury in diabetic rats.