LncRNA ZFPM2-AS1 aggravates the malignant development of breast cancer via upregulating JMJD6
Authors: H-J Li
Q Wang
X-W Hu
L Li
F-R Yang
Z-K Liu
Y-F Zhao
Journal: European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences (2020)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA ZFPM2-AS1; breast cancer; clinical features; prognosis; tumor stage
Affiliations: Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of TCM, Jinan, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the expression pattern of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ZFPM2-AS1 in breast cancer (BC) tissues, and its biological influence on clinical features and prognosis in BC patients. Patients and methods: ZFPM2-AS1 levels in 52 paired BC tissues and adjacent normal ones were detected. Then, the relationship between ZFPM2-AS1 level and clinical features in BC patients was analyzed. Regulatory effects of ZFPM2-AS1 on proliferative and migratory abilities in MCF-7 and SKBR3 cells were assessed. In addition, in vivo regulation of ZFPM2-AS1 in nude mice bearing BC was evaluated. Finally, the interaction between ZFPM2-AS1 and JMJD6 and the involvement of ZFPM2-AS1 in the development of BC were illustrated. Results: The results showed that ZFPM2-AS1 was upregulated in BC tissues, and its high level was linked to advanced tumor stage, high rates of lymphatic metastasis, and distant metastasis, as well as poor prognosis in BC. The knockdown of ZFPM2-AS1 suppressed proliferative and migratory abilities in BC cells. In addition, JMJD6 was verified to be the downstream gene binding to ZFPM2-AS1, which was highly expressed in BC tissues and positively regulated by ZFPM2-AS1. In vivo knockdown of ZFPM2-AS1 in nude mice bearing BC showed a smaller tumor volume and lower tumor weight than controls. In addition, JMJD6 was downregulated in BC tumors extracted from mice with silenced ZFPM2-AS1. Conclusions: LncRNA ZFPM2-AS1 is upregulated in BC and linked to tumor stage, metastasis, and prognosis in BC patients. It aggravates the malignant development of BC via upregulating JMJD6. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 This paper describes a set of samples from 52 breast cancer patients. I have several concerns. * Figure 1B shows that the average expression of ZFPM2-AS1 in tumor tissue is around 12 relative units. In Figure 1C however, the average expression of these tumors split up into several subgroups - if you would recombine these - is much lower. Can the authors clarify, please?  , 
 * In Figure 1D (see above) the survival curve follows  Hoya s law of a sudden drop to 0% survival at 75 months, as seen in many other papers that have the comb-like Kaplan-Meier curves. I like to call these the  Comb papers, which all have a very similar view and structure, as if they were all prepared by the same person or group. * Yet, in Figure 4D, the survival curve of these patients, now split up according to JMJD6 expression, looks very different. Now, many more patients appear to still be alive at the 75 month time point. Can the authors please clarify?  , 
  Figure 1B shows that the average expression of ZFPM2-AS1 in tumor tissue is around 12 relative units. With extremes of about 7 and 17. In 1C, the tumor-tissue is subgrouped in different ways, somehow shifting to a lower extreme value of about 2 throughout, and an upper extreme varying from 14 to 17. How does this make sense?  ,