Anti-microRNA-132 causes sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a pathway

In the present study, the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of microRNA-132 (miRNA-132) on sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis were investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and gene microarray hybridization were used to analyze alterations in microRNA levels. Cell viability, apoptosis and caspase-3/9 activity were measured using MTT, flow cytometry and caspase-3/9 activity kits. Immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis were used to measure protein expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphorylated (p-)AKT, forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a). In sevoflurane-induced rats, the expression of miRNA-132 was downregulated, compared with that in negative control rats. The downregulation of miRNA-132 increased neuronal apoptosis and the upregulation of miRNA-132 inhibited neuronal apoptosis in the sevoflurane-induced in vitro model. The downregulation of miRNA-132 suppressed the protein expression of PI3K and p-AKT, and suppressed the protein expression of FOXO3a in the sevoflurane-induced in vitro model. The PI3K inhibitor increased the effects of anti-miRNA-132 on neuronal apoptosis through the AKT/FOXO3a pathway in the sevoflurane-induced in vitro model. The promotion of FOXO3a inhibited the effects of anti-miRNA-132 on neuronal apoptosis through the AKT/FOXO3a pathway in the sevoflurane-induced in vitro model. These data suggested that miRNA-132 caused sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis via suppression of the PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a pathway.