The aim of the present study was to investigate
hypoxia-induced apoptosis and autophagy in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the underlying molecular mechanisms of
microRNA (miR)-17-5p responses in an anaerobic environment. The results revealed that miR-17-5p expression was significantly upregulated in VSMCs subjected to hypoxic conditions (P<0.05) and lower miR-17-5p levels were observed in ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate-treated and
hypoxia inducible factor-1 loss-of-function cells. Additionally, it was demonstrated that miR-17-5p is associated with
hypoxia-induced autophagy, which was confirmed by upregulating the light chain 3-II/LC3-I ratio and downregulating
nucleoporin p62. Cell apoptosis was inhibited in response to
hypoxia, and levels of
pro-apoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X
protein and p-
caspase were markedly decreased when VSMCs were subjected to hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, expression of
signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) decreased when cells were transfected with overexpressing miR-17-5p and subjected to hypoxic conditions, and the combination of miR-17-5p loss-of-function and
hypoxia induced greater upregulation in the
protein expression of STAT3 compared with a single treatment for
hypoxia in VSMCs. In conclusion, miR-17-5p may be a novel
hypoxia-responsive miR and
hypoxia may induce protective autophagy and anti-apoptosis in VSMCs by targeting STAT3.