Diabetes has been considered as an independent risk factor for cerebral 
infarction. However, the pathological mechanism of cerebral infarction with 
diabetes (DMCI) is still rarely known. In this study, we try to explore the 
relationship between microRNA-146b-3p (miR-146b-3p) and DMCI patients. The 
peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated after the patients were 
selected from our hospital. Firstly, the content of IL-6 and COX-2 was detected 
by ELISA. Then, the total RNAs were extracted and analyzed by microRNA (miRNA) 
microarray. Moreover, the target genes of miR-146b-3p were predicted by online 
miRNA target prediction algorithms. Meanwhile, luciferase reporter system was 
used for assaying the target gene for miRNA-146b-3p. Simultaneously, RT-PCR 
assay was used for the miRNA expression detection. Furthermore, western blot was 
applied to determine the expression of the signal pathway involved proteins. Our 
results demonstrated that expression of IL-6 and COX-2 were remarkably 
up-regulated in peripheral blood of DMCI patients compared with that in normal 
control group. In addition, miRNA microarray data suggested that miR-146b-3p 
expression was significantly down-regulated in DMCI patients, with v-raf-1 
expression negatively regulated. Moreover, miR-146b-3p regulated RAF1 expression 
was found to mediate P38MAPK signaling activation in thrombosis patients. The 
following research indicated that activation of RAF1 trough miR-146b-3p 
down-regulation contributed to activation of RAF/P38MAPK/COX-2 signaling pathway 
in vascular infarction. Our data have implied that altered expression of 
miR-146b-3p is closely related to the progression and development of DCMI 
mediating the RAF/P38MAPK/COX-2 signal transduction pathway.