Down-regulated LAMA4 inhibits oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells through the MAPK signaling pathway in rats with glaucoma
Authors: Jin Zhai
Chong Wang
Jing Wu
Ya-Lin Ren
Xiao-Yan Zhou
Journal: Cell Cycle (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: LAMA4; MAPK signaling pathway; glaucoma; oxidative stress; retinal ganglion cells.
Affiliations: Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Nanshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China, Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China

Abstract:  Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disorder that is generally accepted as the main cause of vision loss. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that laminin Œ±4 (LAMA4) is implicated in glaucoma development by controlling apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Expression profiles and genes associated with glaucoma were searched to determine the objective gene. Intraocular pressure (IOP) rats model were established and IOP was measured. The mRNA and protein expression of LAMA4, JNK, p38 MAPK, ERK, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-9, and p53 was determined in concert with the treatment of H2O2, si-NC, or si-LAMA4 in cultured RGCs. Viability of RGCs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell apoptosis was also measured. LAMA4 was selected as the study object because of its significant difference in two expression profiles. IOP of rats with glaucoma increased significantly after model establishment, and the LAMA4 protein expression in retinal tissue of rats with glaucoma was elevated. Down-regulation of LAMA4 could inhibit the mRNA and protein expression of LAMA4, JNK, p38 MAPK, ERK, Bax, Caspase-9, and p53, as well as restrain the apoptosis and ROS of RGCs, but improve Bcl-2 expression and viability of RGCs. Collectively, the obtained data supported that downregulated LAMA4 might reduce the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of glaucoma RGCs by inhibiting the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
  Figure 5. RGCs with high purity are selected for this study. A, a parameter setting of flow cytometer of the NC group. B, a parameter setting of flow cytometer of the Thy1.1 expression group .  The two plots have more points in common than one would expect. Here dramatised by colour-reversing B and superimposing it on A, so that points cancel out if they have identical locations.  , 
 Figs 5  C, the results of flow cytometer of the NC group. D, the results of flow cytometer of the positive Brn3a-FITC group . I have marked some repeated constellations of points in 5C. They also exist in 5D.  Color-reversing D and superimposing it on C reveals a remarkable number of shared points that cancel out.  , 
 Retracted [15 July 2022] . ------------------- We, the Editors and Publisher of the journal Cell Cycle, have retracted the following article: Chong Wang, Ya-Lin Ren, Jin Zhai, Xiao-Yan Zhou, and Jing Wu. Down-regulated LAMA4 inhibits oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells through the MAPK signaling pathway in rats with glaucoma. Cell Cycle. 18(9):932u2013948. doi: 10.1080 15384101.2019.1593645 Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors have been unable to address the concerns raised and have not been able to provide their original data. As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article. The corresponding author listed in this publication has been informed. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u2018Retractedu2019. ,