Retracted: Micro RNA ‚Ä?40‚Ä?p elevates cerebral protection of dexmedetomidine against hypoxic‚Äìischaemic brain damage via the Wnt/Œ≤‚Äêcatenin signalling pathway
Authors: Yong-Jian Wang
Dong-Mei Wu
Xin-Rui Han
Bin Hu
Chun-Hui Sun
Xin Wen
Min Shen
Liang Wang
Meng-Qiu Li
Jun Lu
Shan Wang
Shao-Hua Fan
Qun Shan
Zi-Feng Zhang
Yuan-Lin Zheng
Journal: Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (2018)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Wnt/Œ≤-catenin signalling pathway; Wnt1; cerebral protection; dexmedetomidine; hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage
Affiliations: Key Laboratory for Biotechnology on Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China., College of Health Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.

Abstract:  Hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) remains a major cause of foetal brain damage presented a scarcity of effective therapeutic approaches. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) and microRNA-140-5p (miR-140-5p) have been highlighted due to its potentially significant role in the treatment of cerebral ischaemia. This study was to investigate the role by which miR-140-5p provides cerebral protection using DEX to treat hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage (HIBD) in neonatal rats via the Wnt/Œ≤-catenin signalling pathway. The HIBD rat models were established and allocated into various groups with different treatment plans, and eight SD rats into sham group. The learning and memory ability of the rats was assessed. Apoptosis and pathological changes in the hippocampus CA1 region and expressions of the related genes of the Wnt/Œ≤-catenin signalling pathway as well as the genes responsible of apoptosis were detected. Compared with the sham group, the parameters of weight, length growth, weight ratio between hemispheres, the rate of reaching standard, as well as Bcl-2 expressions, were all increased. Furthermore, observations of increased levels of cerebral infarction volume, total mortality rate, response times, total response duration, expressions of Wnt1, Œ≤-catenin, TCF-4, E-cadherin, apoptosis rate of neurons, and Bax expression were elevated. Following DEX treatment, the symptoms exhibited by HIBD rats were ameliorated. miR-140-5p and si-Wnt1 were noted to attenuate the progression of HIBD. Our study demonstrates that miR-140-5p promotes the cerebral protective effects of DEX against HIBD in neonatal rats by targeting the Wnt1 gene through via the negative regulation of the Wnt/Œ≤-catenin signalling pathway. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 6B.  Overexpressed miRu2010140u20105p inhibits the expression of Wnt1 in 293FT cells by RT u2010qPCR and Western blot analysis.... B, the histogram of the protein expression of Wnt1 and corresponding protein bands .  Fig. 4 from [Zhang et al (2018)] .  The expression of LINC00652 and the mRNA and protein levels of GLP-1R in the myocardium of mice after myocardial I R were increased. ... Panel C, GLP-1R protein in the myocardium of mice measured by western blotting before and after modeling .  The same loading control has appeared in other papers in _Cell Physiol Biochm_, with different labels and indeed from unrelated teams of authors, sometimes as GAPDH rather than beta-Actin. Below st left, Fig. 6B from [Zhou et al (2018)] .  ELISA and western blot analysis were applied to determine the miR- 495 expression and mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, TNF-u03b1, IL-1u03b2, IL-18 and caspase-1. At right, Fig 11E from [Wang et al (2018)] .  E: protein bands of each factor in ASMCs of asthma mice in each group detected by western blot analysis .  , 
 #1 The loading control from Fig 6B is also surprisingly similar to the first 3 lanes of loading control in Fig 1C,  The combined action of DEX and miRu2010140u20105p suppresses the Wnt u03b2u2010catenin signalling pathway detected by RT u2010qPCR and Western blot analysis. ... C, Protein bands of Wnt u03b2u2010catenin signalling pathwayu2010related proteins . Lanes are different.  Here is a montage of WBs drawing on the same narrow gamut of shapes, and distinguished by very similar loading-control bands. Four different sets of authors.  Clockwise from upper left: Fig 6B,  protein band graph , from  MicroRNA-374 Exerts Protective Effects by Inhibiting SP1 Through Activating the PI3K Akt Pathway in Rat Models of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion After Sevoflurane Preconditioning [(Zhang et al 2018)] . Fig 4D,  GLP-1R and CREB proteins in the myocardium of mice in each group examined by western blotting , from  Suppression of Long Non-Coding RNA LINC00652 Restores Sevoflurane-Induced Cardioprotection Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Targeting GLP-1R Through the cAMP PKA Pathway in Mice [(Zhang et al 2018)] . Fig. 6B,  ELISA and western blot analysis were applied to determine the miR- 495 expression and mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, TNF-u03b1, IL-1u03b2, IL-18 and caspase-1 , from  MicroRNA-495 Ameliorates Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cell Injury and Inflammatory Reaction by Suppressing the NLRP3 Inflammasome Signaling Pathway [(Zhou et al 2018)] . Fig 6B,  WB images showing protein expression of different genes in each group , from  MicroRNA-27a Suppresses Detrusor Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats by Targeting PRKAA2 Through the TGF-u03b21 Smad3 Signaling Pathway . [(Wu et al 2018)] . Fig 11E,  protein bands of each factor in ASMCs of asthma mice in each group detected by western blot analysis , from  MicroRNA-485 Modulates the TGF-u03b2 Smads Signaling Pathway in Chronic Asthmatic Mice by Targeting Smurf2 . [(Wang et al 2018)] . , 
 Fig 3B.  Orane box indicates an overlap (after a horizontal flip) with Fig 4B of [Shu et al (2018)] .  , 
 Retracted [4 January 2021] . ----------------------------------- The above article from Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, published online on 13 March 2018 on Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) in Volume 22, pp. 3167-3182, has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor-in-Chief and John Wiley Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. The authors asked to retract this manuscript as raw experimental data were not accessible anymore and thus the validity of the overall results could not be confirmed. , 
 Fig 2A.  TTC staining of brain tissue of rats .  Fig 7b from [Hu Dong (2019)] ,  infarct size and infarct in brain tissues in each group .  Figure 1 from [Zhang et al (2017)] .  Comparison of ischemic infarct area between the control group and DM + CI group by TTC staining (A, Ischemic infarct area in the control group; B, Ischemic infarct area in the DM + CI group . Rotated to the same orientation.  Unexpected similarities.  , 
 Fig 4A:  Unexpected overlap with Fig 1B from  Up-regulation of microRNA-223 inhibits brain injury and hippocampal neuron apoptosis of rats after febrile seizure through the NLRP3-Caspase-1 signaling pathway ([Wang et al 2019] ).  - *[left]* A panel from Fig 4A. - *[right]* Figs 3C, 5B from Wang et al (2019).  ,