Dysregulation of long non‑coding RNA (IncRNA) antisense non‑coding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) is associated with the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying this association, which is currently poorly understood, to the best of our knowledge. The current study used an in vitro myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MI/R) model, in which H9c2 cardiomyocytes were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), which demonstrated that ANRIL expression was downregulated and that ANRIL positively regulated sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression following H/R injury. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that ANRIL upregulated SIRT1 expression by sponging microRNA‑181a (miR‑181a). In addition, ANRIL overexpression reduced lactate dehydrogenase release and apoptosis of H9c2 cardiomyocytes exposed to H/R, indicating that ANRIL prevented H/R‑induced cardiomyocyte injury. Moreover, both miR‑181a overexpression and SIRT1 knockdown significantly decreased the protective effects of ANRIL on H/R‑induced cardiomyocyte injury, thus demonstrating that SIRT1 upregulation via sponging miR‑181a is a critical mechanism that mediates the function of ANRIL. These results provided a novel mechanistic insight into the role of ANRIL in H/R‑injured cardiomyocytes and suggested that the ANRIL/miR‑181a/SIRT1 axis may be a therapeutic target for reducing MI/R injury.
Keywords: cardiomyocyte; hypoxia/reoxygenation injury; long non‑coding RNA antisense non‑coding RNA in the INK4 locus; microRNA‑181a; sirtuin 1.