MicroRNA-23a/b and microRNA-27a/b suppress Apaf-1 protein and alleviate hypoxia-induced neuronal apoptosis

Expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) gradually decreases during brain development, and this decrease is likely responsible for the decreased sensitivity of brain tissue to apoptosis. However, the mechanism by which Apaf-1 expression is decreased remains elusive. In the present study, we found that four microRNAs (miR-23a/b and miR-27a/b) of miR-23a-27a-24 and miR-23b-27b-24 clusters play key roles in modulating the expression of Apaf-1. First, we found that miR-23a/b and miR-27a/b suppressed the expression of Apaf-1 in vitro. Interestingly, the expression of the miR-23-27-24 clusters in the mouse cortex gradually increased in a manner that was inversely correlated with the pattern of Apaf-1 expression. Second, hypoxic injuries during fetal distress caused reduced expression of the miR-23b and miR-27b that was inversely correlated with an elevation of Apaf-1 expression during neuronal apoptosis. Third, we made neuronal-specific transgenic mice and found that overexpressing the miR-23b and miR-27b in mouse neurons inhibited the neuronal apoptosis induced by intrauterine hypoxia. In conclusion, our results demonstrate, in central neural system, that miR-23a/b and miR-27a/b are endogenous inhibitory factors of Apaf-1 expression and regulate the sensitivity of neurons to apoptosis. Our findings may also have implications for the potential target role of microRNAs in the treatment of neuronal apoptosis-related diseases.