Propofol postconditioning alleviates diabetic myocardial ischemia‑reperfusion injury

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/RI) syndrome is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability. Propofol postconditioning is known to improve myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). The present study aimed to explore the mechanism of propofol postconditioning in diabetic MI/RI. Diabetic MI/RI rat models were established and the rats were treated via propofol postconditioning. Staining with 2,3,5‑triphenyl‑2H‑tetrazolium chloride, H&E staining, TUNEL staining and ELISA were applied to detect infarct size, pathological changes, apoptosis and oxidative stress‑related factor and apoptotic factor levels, respectively. Subsequently, the effect of propofol on H9C2 cells was also assessed using the Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay. High‑glucose hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R) models of H9C2 cardiomyocytes were established. miR‑200c‑3p overexpression or AdipoR2 silencing combined with propofol postconditioning was performed in H/R‑induced H9C2 cells and STAT3 protein expression levels were determined. Propofol postconditioning significantly reduced myocardial infarct size, oxidative stress and apoptosis in diabetic MI/RI models. Furthermore, propofol postconditioning significantly reduced the oxidative stress and apoptosis of H9C2 cells in high‑glucose H/R models. Propofol postconditioning also significantly downregulated miR‑200c‑3p expression levels and promoted AdipoR2 expression levels. miR‑200c‑3p overexpression or AdipoR2 downregulation significantly reversed the effects of propofol postconditioning on its antioxidation and anti‑apoptotic effects in H9C2 cells and on decreasing STAT3 phosphorylation levels. Together, the results of the present study demonstrated that propofol postconditioning inhibited miR‑200c‑3p, upregulated AdipoR2 and activated the STAT3 signaling pathway, thus alleviating diabetic MI/RI and therefore highlighting its potential as a treatment of diabetic MI/RI.