Circular RNA _NLRP1 targets mouse microRNA-199b-3p to regulate apoptosis and pyroptosis of hippocampal neuron under oxygen-glucose deprivation exposure

Primary hippocampal neuronal cells were used to establish cell model of cerebral ischemia under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) treatment. After the cell model was pre-treated with short hairpin (sh)-circ_NLRP1 or mmu-miR-199b-3p inhibitor, LDH release and cell apoptosis were detected by LDH kit and TUNEL staining, respectively, while the expression of NLRP3 pyroptosis-related makers was analyzed through immunofluorescence (IF) assay and Western blot, respectively. The binding sites between circ_NLRP1 and mmu-miR-199b-3p were predicted and further validated by Dual Luciferase Reporter assay. Additionally, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was also analyzed by means of Western blot assay. Neuronal cells under OGD conditions released less lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and showed less apoptosis status by silencing circ_NLRP1. In addition, gasdermin D (GSDMD)-N immunofluorescence staining showed weaker fluorescence intensity and decreased expression of pyroptosis-related mediators. We further found that mmu-miR-199b-3p-inhibitor could alter the effects of sh-circ_NLRP1 on hippocampal neuronal cells. In addition, in this process, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/EGR1 pathway was also significantly affected. In conclusion, OGD stimulation induced neuronal damage and pyroptosis through enhancing circ_NLRP1 expression and further downregulating mmu-miR-199b-3p levels. The present study provided a novel insight for understanding the potential mechanism of ischemia-induced neuronal damage and for developing new drugs for treating brain ischemia damage.