Objective To determine the predictive value of serum miR-124 for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MIRI)in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)and analyzed its potential target genes.Methods A total of 168 patients who were firstly diagnosed as STEMI and received percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)were selected.Real-time quantitative PCR were used to measure the plasma levels of miR-124 at administration.The patients were divided into MIRI group(n=76)and control group(n=92)according to the occurrence of MIRI after PCI,and the clinical data and miR-124 levels of the two groups were analyzed.The potential target genes of miR-124 were analyzed using bioinformatics method.Results The serum miR-124 level was higher in MIRI group(2.26±0.79)than in control group(1.48±0.45),with significant difference between groups(P<0.001).Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that serum miR-124 level was an independent predictor for MIRI in STEMI patients(OR=1.37,95%CI=1.06-1.78,P=0.017).The areas under the ROC curve for serum miR-124 to predict MIRI were 0.81(95%CI=0.74-0.88,P<0.001),and the best cutoff value showed a sensitivity of 76.3%and a specificity of 75.0%.A total of 326 target genes of miR-124 were predicted using bioinformatics method,of which 22 were asscoiated with MIRI,and these genes were involved in retinol metabolic process,collagen fibril remodeling and inflammatory response.Conclusion Serum miR-124 level has a good predictive for the occurrence of MIRI in STEMI patients,which may be involved in biological process including retinol metabolic process,collagen fibril remodeling and inflammatory response.