Dexmedetomidine Mitigates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Mitochondrial Apoptosis through Targeting lncRNA HCP5

Our study aimed to explore the function and mechanism of Dexmedetomidine (Dex) in regulating myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced mitochondrial apoptosis through lncRNA HCP5. We demonstrated Dex suppressed I/R-induced myocardial infarction and mitochondrial apoptosis in vivo. Dex induced the expression of lncRNA HCP5 and MCL1, inhibited miR-29a expression and activated the JAK2/STAT3 signaling. Dex attenuated hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced mitochondrial apoptosis by upregulating lncRNA HCP5 in cardiomyocytes. Overexpression of lncRNA HCP5 sponged miR-29a to suppress H/R-induced mitochondrial apoptosis. Knockdown of miR-29a also alleviated cardiomyocyte apoptosis by upregulating MCL1. Overexpression of lncRNA HCP5 activated the JAK2/STAT3 signaling through sponging miR-29a and enhancing MCL1 expression in cardiomyocytes. Dex mitigated myocardial I/R-induced mitochondrial apoptosis through the lncRNA HCP5/miR-29a/MCL1 axis and activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling.