Long noncoding RNA HAGLROS regulates cell apoptosis and autophagy in lipopolysaccharides-induced WI-38‚ÄØcells via modulating miR-100/NF-Œ∫B axis
Authors: Tao Han
Shaomin Shi
Enqi Chen
Meihan Liu
Journal: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (2018)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: HAGLROS; PI3K/AKT/NF-Œ∫B pathway; Pneumonia; miR-100.
Affiliations: Department of Ultrasonography, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China., Department of Vascular Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China., Department of Respiratory, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  Pneumonia is a lower respiratory disease caused by pathogens or other factors. This study aimed to explore the roles and mechanism of long noncoding RNA HAGLROS in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammatory injury in pneumonia. The HAGLROS expression in serum of patients with acute stage pneumonia was detected. To induce pulmonary injury, WI-38 human lung fibroblasts were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The HAGLROS expressions in LPS-treated WI-38 cells and the effects of HAGLROS knockdown on the viability, apoptosis, and autophagy of LPS-induced cells were detected. Moreover, the regulatory relationship between HAGLROS and miR-100 was explored as well as the functional targets of miR-100 were identified. Furthermore, the regulatory relationship between miR-100 and PI3K/AKT/NF-Œ∫B pathway was elucidated. LncRNA HAGLROS was higher expressed in serum of patients with acute stage pneumonia compared with that in serum of healthy control. LPS caused WI-38 cell injury and increased HAGLROS levels. Downregulation of HAGLROS alleviated LPS-induced cell injury via increasing cell viability, and inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between HAGLROS and miR-100, and the effects of HAGLROS downregulation on LPS-induced apoptosis and autophagy in WI-38 cells were by regulation of miR-100. Furthermore, NFŒöB3 was verified as a functional target of miR-100 and effects of miR-100 inhibition on LPS-induced WI-38 cell injury were alleviated by knockdown of NFŒöB3. Besides, Knockdown of HAGLROS inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT/NF-Œ∫B pathway. Our findings reveal that downregulation of HAGLROS may alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory injury in WI-38 cells via modulating miR-100/NF-Œ∫B axis. HAGLROS/miR-100/NF-Œ∫B axis may provide a new strategy for treating acute stage of pneumonia. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 The four figures in this paper contain a number of panels purporting to illustrate how the authors quantified cell apoptosis with FACS plots. Here are Figs 2D and 4D:  The marked panels have also appeared in Fis 2E and 4C of [Liu et al (2019)] .  There are no (credited) contributors in common. I could not be bothered tracing other appearances of the other panels. , 
 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 , 
 Expression of Concern, [16 November 2021] . ----------------------- The journal would like to alert readers to the fact that the paper has been included in a general set of allegations of several hundred papers described here: https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill . The journal is investigating the allegations according to COPE best practice. In the meantime, the Editor is issuing this Expression of Concern to alert readers regarding the concerns raised about the reliability of the published images and data. We will provide further updates to readers once the investigations have concluded. ,