RETRACTED ARTICLE: Upregulation of lncRNA HAGLROS enhances the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via modulating miR-100/ATG14 axis-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signals
Authors: Shoumin Xi
Wei Zhang
Yanle Zhang
Journal: Artificial Cells Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (2019)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: ATG14; HAGLROS; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway; miR-100.
Affiliations: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang, Henan, China;, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China

Abstract:  We planned to dig the significant role of long noncoding RNA HAGLROS in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and the latent mechanism. The levels of HAGLROS in NPC tissues and cells were determined, followed by correlation analysis of HAGLROS level and clinicopathological features of patients suffered with NPC. The impacts of HAGLROS dysregulation on NPC cell viability, apoptosis, and the expression of apoptotic proteins and autophagy-related symbols were investigated. Moreover, we explored whether HAGLROS modulated the expression of autophagy-related gene 14 (ATG14) by competitively sponging miR-100, and then regulated the briskness of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signals in NPC development. HAGLROS level in NPC tissues and cell was very high. High level of HAGLROS indicated a short overall survival in NPC patients. Depressing of HAGLROS lessened NPC cell viability, enhanced apoptosis and reduced autophagy. Besides, HAGLROS negative controlled miR-100 and consequently targeted ATG14 expression, thus modulating NPC cell viability, apoptosis, and autophagy. Besides, dysregulation of HAGLROS/miR-100/ATG14 axis was correlated to the briskness of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signals in NPC cells. Our results indicate that of the augment of HAGLROS contributes to NPC development via modulating miR-100/ATG14 axis-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signals. Our study will offer a comprehensive basis for better illustrating the pathogenesis of NPC. Highlights HAGLROS expression was upregulated in NPC tissues and cells. High expression of HAGLROS indicated a short overall survival in NPC patients. Silencing of HAGLROS promoted apoptosis and inhibited autophagy of NPC cells. HAGLROS regulated ATG14 expression in NPC cells via sponging miR-100. HAGLROS/miR-100/ATG14 axis regulated NPC development via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 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 published on Mar 17, 2020 https: www.tandfonline.com doi full 10.1080 21691401.2020.1741909 We, the Publisher and Editor of Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, are issuing an Expression of Concern for the following article: Article title: Upregulation of lncRNA HAGLROS enhances the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via modulating miR-100 ATG14 axis-mediated PI3K AKT mTOR signals Authors: Wei Zhang, Yanle Zhang and Shoumin Xi Journal: Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology Bibliometrics: Volume 47, Number 01, pages 3043u20133052 DOI: https: doi.org 10.1080 21691401.2019.1640233 After publication of this article, questions about the scientific integrity of the article content were brought to the Publisher and Editoru2019s attention. We have reached out to the authors requesting that they supply information that would confirm the articleu2019s integrity, but the authors have not responded to our queries within the requested timeframe. Therefore, as we continue to work through the issues raised, we advise readers to interpret the information presented in the article with due caution. , 
 April 2021 Retraction, found here: https: www.tandfonline.com doi full 10.1080 21691401.2021.1899438 It reads:  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 verify their original data. The authors have agreed to retract the article. , 
 Readers should reassess the reliability of this **now retracted** paper as its bibliography includes **several questioned references** that are likely to be unreliable. So far, the following have been spotted: | Questioned Reference Cited | Details | | --- | --- | | [10.1016 j.compeleceng.2018.07.044](4C0E4F6B583E6EF327794EA418015B) | [2018] _Computers Electrical Engineering_: Trainable model for segmenting and identifying Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Mazin Abed Mohammed u2022 Mohd Khanapi Abd Ghani u2022 N. Arunkumar u2022 Salama A. Mostafa u2022 Mohamad Khir Abdullah u2022 M.A. Burhanuddin | | [10.1007 s13277-015-4773-4](EED3DC057634DC4E5CC1BF42D1D42E) | [2016] _Tumor Biology_: The long non-coding RNA NEAT1 regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transition and radioresistance in through miR-204 ZEB1 axis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Yaoyong Lu u2022 Tao Li u2022 Ganbao Wei u2022 Liangbo Liu u2022 Qinsheng Chen u2022 Lufei Xu u2022 Kunqiang Zhang u2022 Dehao Zeng u2022 Rongwei Liao | According to [Dimensions] , this article has been [cited 13 times] . Flagged by the [_Problematic Paper Screener_] , [Feet of Clay] Detector. ,