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Hypoxia‐induced apoptosis of astrocytes is mediated by reduction of Dicer and activation of caspase‐1

Hypoxia is a condition in which the whole body or a region of the body is deprived of oxygen supply. The brain is very sensitive to the lack of oxygen and cerebral hypoxia can rapidly cause severe brain damage. Astrocytes are essential for the survival and function of neurons. Therefore, protecting astrocytes against cell death is one of the main therapeutic strategies for treating hypoxia. Hence, the mechanism of hypoxia‐induced astrocytic cell death should be fully elucidated. In this study, astrocytes were exposed to hypoxic conditions using a hypoxia work station or the hypoxia mimetic agent cobalt chloride (CoCl2). Both the hypoxic gas mixture (1% O2) and chemical hypoxia‐induced apoptotic cell death in T98G glioblastoma cells and mouse primary astrocytes. Reactive oxygen species were generated in response to the hypoxia‐mediated activation of caspase‐1. Active caspase‐1 induced the classical caspase‐dependent apoptosis of astrocytes. In addition, the microRNA processing enzyme Dicer was cleaved by caspase‐3 during hypoxia. Knockdown of Dicer using antisense oligonucleotides induced apoptosis of T98G cells. Taken together, these results suggest that astrocytic cell death during hypoxia is mediated by the reactive oxygen species/caspase‐1/classical caspase‐dependent apoptotic pathway. In addition, the decrease in Dicer levels by active caspase‐3 amplifies this apoptotic pathway via a positive feedback loop. These findings may provide a new target for therapeutic interventions in cerebral hypoxia.