Cardiovascular disease associated with oxidative stress, including atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The accelerated proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells are the predominant characteristics of atherogenesis, and endothelial dysfunction is a major risk factor for the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Podocalyxin (PODXL), a type I member of the cluster of differentiation 34 family of sialomucins, functions as a pro-adhesive molecule. Emerging evidence has revealed the importance of micro (mi)RNAs in the cardiovascular system. The present study demonstrated that there was an inverse association between miRNA (miR)-125b and PODXL in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) treated with oxidized low‑density lipoprotein (LDL) and platelet derived growth factor. Additionally, miR-125b had a suppressive function in cell proliferation and migration, at least partially via targeting PODXL in the HAVSMCs. Furthermore, the data suggested that the functions of miR-125b in arteriosclerosis obliterans may be associated with transgelin, lectin-type oxidized LDL receptor-1, vascular endothelial-cadherin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1. In conclusion, miR-125b was found to be important in arteriosclerosis obliterans by suppressing the expression of PODXL and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of arteriosclerosis obliterans.