The circular RNA‚ÄêNRIP1 plays oncogenic roles by targeting microRNA‚Ä?05 in the renal carcinoma cell lines
Authors: Qinghai Wang
Hongyang Wang
Jianlei Ji
Yanwei Cao
Zhen Dong
Tao Huang
Aashish Khanal
Haitao Niu
Yidong Liu
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2020)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: AMPK; PI3K/AKT/mTOR; circNRIP1; miR-505; renal cell carcinoma.
Affiliations: Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China., Department of Urology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, Shandong, China.

Abstract:  We explored the roles and regulatory mechanisms of the circular RNA (circRNA) nuclear receptor-interacting protein 1 (NRIP1; circNRIP1) in ACHN and CAKI-1 cells. ACHN and CAKI-1 cells were transfected with small-interfering-circNRIP1 (si-circNRIP1) and microRNA-505 (miR-505) inhibitor or the corresponding controls. Cell viability was detected with the Cell Counting Kit-8. The protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), protein kinase B (AKT), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were individually determined via Western blot. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the expressions of circNRIP1 and miR-505 both in tumor cells and tissues. The apoptotic rate, the colony numbers, and the migration rate were separately determined by the Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide and flow cytometer, colony formation assay, and migration assay. We found that circNRIP1 was overexpressed in tumor tissue but miR-505 was overproduced. Silencing circZNF292 induced inhibition of cell viability, colony formation, and migration, as well as the activity of AMPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascades but enhancement of apoptosis. si-circNRIP1 stimulated the upregulation of miR-505, whose silence abolished the effects of si-circNRIP1 on these elements mentioned above. In conclusion, the circNRIP1 played oncogenic roles in the ACHN and the CAKI-1 cell lines by targeting miR-505 via stimulating AMPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascades. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 The Western blots in this paper have an interesting appearance that appears to be shared with blots in other papers from other research groups, such as these papers published in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry: * Ying Liu et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29568 * Long Liu et al. 2020, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29642 * Lin Zhang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28729 * Yugeng Li et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29146 * Xiaoliang Yang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28829 * Ning Han et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29638 All these papers share particular characteristics, such as similar title structure, similar graph design, and the appearance of the Western blots. Western blot panels within the same figure, and across figures and papers, appear to share the same background or parts of the background. In addition, the bands are regularly spaced, all have similar rounded edges, without the usual smudges and specks. The bands also sometimes have a particular fish-like shape that resembles jumping sardines. For example, here is Figure 5H, with its contrast enhanced to bring out details. Although the bands are differently shaped, the background of these panels is more similar than expected. Colored panels draw attention to background areas that look unexpectedly similar. Could the authors provide the original, uncropped blots, please?  , 
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Retracted [4 June 2021] . ------------------------------------------------ The above article, published online on 06 November 2019 in Wiley Online Library , has been retracted by agreement between the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. , 
 As part of [a round-up of recent research-integrity findings](http: www.most.gov.cn zxgz kycxjs kycxgzdt 202111 t20211119_178071.html), China s Ministry of Science Technology reported [an investigation at Qingdao University] : u30005. The paper  The circular RNA-NRIP1 plays oncogenic roles by targeting microRNA-505 in the renal carcinoma cell lines by Cao Yanwei as the corresponding author and Dong Zhen as the first author of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. After investigation, the paper has problems such as fraud and improper signature. Cao Yanwei (combined with another paper) shall be dealt with as follows: demerit sanction for 1 year, cancel application or application for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, science and technology talent title qualifications for 6 years, and cancel as a nominee or recommender , Nominated or recommended person, review expert and other qualifications for 6 years, recorded in the scientific research integrity untrustworthy file, given scientific research integrity admonition talks, canceled participation in this yearu2019s evaluation, and the annual evaluation shall not be determined as qualified or above; to Dong Zhen The processing is as follows: 1 year of demerit, cancellation of application or application for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, science and technology talent title qualifications for 5 years, cancellation of qualifications as nominees or recommenders, nominees or recommenders, review experts, etc. 5 In the same year, it was recorded in the scientific research integrity and untrustworthy file, and the scientific research integrity was given a talk, and the participation in this yearu2019s evaluation was cancelled. The annual evaluation shall not be determined as qualified or above. H t Google Translate. ,