Long non-coding RNA SNHG1 mediates neuronal damage in Parkinson’s disease model cells by regulating miR-216a-3p/Bcl-2-associated X protein

BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common central nervous system degenerative disease in middle-aged and elderly people. Our study aimed to illuminate the relationship and mechanism of long-chain non-coding RNA SNHG1 and miRNA (miR)-216a-3p in PD. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma cell lines were treated with MPP(+) to construct a PD model. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the cellular expression of SNHG1. Neuronal cell activity and apoptosis were compared before and after SNHG1 knock-down, as was neuronal miR-216a-3p expression. Further, a luciferase reporter gene experiment was performed to verify BAX as the target of miR-216a-3p. Anti-miR-216a-3p and BAX were co-transfected into PD model cells, and neuronal cellular activity and apoptosis were observed. Finally, the potential regulatory network of SNHG1/miR-216a-3p/BAX in PD was investigated. RESULTS: The expression of miR-216a-3p was decreased in the PD model cells, and re-expression reversed the high apoptotic rate and cell vitality inhibition in PD model cells. SNHG1 interacted with miR-216a-3p and negatively regulated its upstream molecules, while miR-216a-3p attenuated the effect of SNHG1 knock-down on neurons. The overexpression of BAX in the PD cell model blocked the damage by miR-216a-3p to neurons. At the same time, SNHG1 acted as a coordinator, mediating the regulation of BAX via miR-216a-3p, thereby affecting the activity and apoptotic rate of neurons in the PD model. CONCLUSIONS: SNHG1 interacts with miR-216a-3p to regulate the expression of BAX. This SNHG1/miR-216a-3p/BAX molecular regulatory network is implicated in the pathogenesis of PD.