The Inhibition of Reactive Oxygen Species Modulator 1 Attenuates Sevoflurane-Induced Neural Injury via Reducing Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress

Sevoflurane causes neural injury by promoting apoptosis and oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species modulator 1 (ROMO1) regulates apoptosis and oxidative stress, while its role in sevoflurane-induced neural injury remains unclear. This study intended to investigate the effect of ROMO1 knockdown on viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in sevoflurane-treated HT22 cells and its downstream pathway. HT22 cells were untreated (blank control), or treated with 1%, 2%, and 4% sevoflurane, respectively. Moreover, HT22 cells were transfected with siROMO1 small interfering RNA (siROMO1) or negative control siRNA (siNC) and then stimulated with 4% sevoflurane for further assays. Sevoflurane dose-dependently decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis rate versus blank control in HT22 cells. Sevoflurane elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) fluorescence intensity, malondialdehyde (MDA), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, while reducing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in a dose-dependent manner versus blank control in HT22 cells. It also dose-dependently increased the relative mRNA and protein expressions of ROMO1 versus blank treatment in HT22 cells. Moreover, siROMO1 plus 4% sevoflurane increased cell viability, while decreasing apoptosis rate, ROS fluorescence intensity, MDA, and LDH release versus siNC plus 4% sevoflurane in HT22 cells. siROMO1 plus 4% sevoflurane elevated the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) versus siNC plus 4% sevoflurane in HT22 cells. ROMO1 inhibition reverses sevoflurane-induced neural injury by reducing apoptosis and oxidative stress in HT22 cells. The results indicate that ROMO1 may be a potential target for the management of sevoflurane-induced neural injury.