Abstract
The expression level of microRNA-208a (miR-208a) in a rat model with myocardial infarction and the effect of cAMP-PKA signaling pathway in early stage of myocardial infarction in rats were investigated. The early myocardial infarction model was established in 12 male Sprague-Dawley rats by ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery, and 12 rats were selected as the control group (sham operation group). Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was conducted to detect the expression levels of miR-208a in the myocardium of and the expression levels of miR‑208a in the serum of rats in the two groups. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression levels of cAMP-PKA protein in the rat tissues in the two groups. After stimulating high levels of miR‑208a expression in human myocardial cells (HCM), western blot analysis was used to detect the cAMP-PKA protein levels. The expression levels of miR‑208a in myocardial tissues in rats with myocardial infarction were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression levels of miR‑208a in the early stage of myocardial infarction rats were also significantly higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The level of cAMP-PKA protein in myocardial tissue in rats with chronic myocardial infarction was also significantly higher. Transfection of human myocardial cells with miR‑208a analogue significantly increased the cAMP-PKA protein levels in human myocardial cells. In conclusion, the over-expression of miR-208a in myocardial infarction tissue and the high levels of this miRNA in the serum, may be involved in the process of myocardial infarction by influencing the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway in myocardial cells.