BNIP3 and ischemia: In summary, we have demonstrated that the expression of miR-145 is substantially down-regulated in both ischemia/reperfused heart and H2O2-treated cardiomyocytes and that miR-145 over-expression confers cardiac protection against oxidative stress-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through directly inhibiting the Bnip3 expression and the ROS generation under oxidative stress conditions.