MicroRNA-208-5p regulates myocardial injury of sepsis mice via targeting SOCS2-mediated NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway

•A novel report on the role of miR-208a-5p and SOCS2 in sepsis.•Decreased SOCS2 and increased miR-208a-5p, NF-κB and HIF-1α are found in sepsis.•There is a targeting relationship between miR-208a-5p and SOCS2.•Up-regulated SOCS2/down-regulated miR-208a-5p alleviates myocardial injury of sepsis.•This study is essential for finding new targets for the myocardial injury of sepsis mice.