<p>Long Noncoding RNA KCNMB2-AS1 Increases ROCK1 Expression by Sponging microRNA-374a-3p to Facilitate the Progression of Non‚ÄìSmall-Cell Lung Cancer</p>
Authors: Zhenyuan Wang
Haitao Yang
Ziyi Wang
Journal: Cancer Management and Research (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: KCNMB2 antisense RNA 1; ceRNA theory; long noncoding RNA.
Affiliations: Department of Thoracic Surgery, The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Liaoning 110015, People's Republic of China., Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Tenth People's Hospital of Shenyang, Liaoning 110044, People's Republic of China.

Abstract:  Purpose: The expression and roles of most long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain poorly understood. Thus, this study investigated KCNMB2 antisense RNA 1 (KCNMB2-AS1) expression in NSCLC and determined the roles and mechanisms of KCNMB2-AS1 in regulating NSCLC progression. Methods: KCNMB2-AS1 expression in NSCLC tissues and cells was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometry, Transwell migration, and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. In vivo tumor xenograft models were constructed to assess tumorigenicity. Bioinformatics predictions were performed to identify microRNAs targeting KCNMB2-AS1. Interactions between KCNMB2-AS1 and miR-374a-3p were analyzed using RNA immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter, and rescue experiments. Results: KCNMB2-AS1 levels were increased in NSCLC tissues and cells. KCNMB2-AS1 silencing hindered NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in vitro. Additionally, KCNMB2-AS1 knockdown decreased tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, KCNMB2-AS1 functioned as an endogenous miR-374a-3p sponge and increased œÅ-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) expression. Furthermore, increased miR-374a-3p/ROCK1 output attenuated KCNMB2-AS1 silencing-induced inhibition of NSCLC progression. Conclusion: The KCNMB2-AS1/miR-374a-3p/ROCK1 pathway drives NSCLC progression, suggesting that this pathway can be targeted to reduce NSCLC progression. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Here are multiple appearances of what seems to be the same well-traveled ruler, marked by a distinctive scratch just to the right of 2 . Different teams of researchers from six different institutions somehow used it to provide scale for the xenograft tumors in their studies. There would be no problem if all the images had been recorded at a single lab, but the papers do not mention outsourcing any of the experiments to an outside contractor. Upper row: - Fig 7B from [Chen et al (2021)] .  Representative images of subcutaneous tumours collected from the sh-USP30-AS1 and sh-NC groups. Rotated through 90 deg for ease of comparison. - Fig 8A from [Luo et al (2020)] .  Representative images of tumor xenografts originating from SW480 cells stably expressing sh-LINC00239 or sh-NC. Rotated through 90 deg. - Fig 7A from [Liu et al (2020)] .  Representative images of tumor xenografts that originated from SW480 cells stably overexpressing sh-VPS9D1-AS1 or sh-NC .  Middle row: - Fig 7B from [He et al (2021)] .  At 31 days following cell injection, all mice were euthanized and tumor xenografts were resected and imaged . - Fig 6B from [Liu et al (2020)] .  All mice were euthanized at the end of the experiment, and the tumor xenografts were harvested and imaged . Rotated through 90 deg. - **Fig 8A from [Yang, Yang Wang (2020)] **.  Tumor growth curves were plotted according to the tumor volumes measured weekly .  Lower row: - Fig 7B from [Li et al (2020)] .  Representative images of tumor xenografts collected from short hairpin RNA (sh)-LINC00525 and control (sh-NC) groups . - Fig 6A from [Dai et al (2020)] .  After 28 days post-inoculation, mice were euthanized and tumor xenografts were dissected and photographed .  , 
 The travelling ruler is not the only source of concern - just the easiest to present. Another source is the implausible WBs in this paper, resembling strings of sausages, and also found in a distinct *oeuvre*. https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1X401JM6CcpTSkbKsPsOl20pRKQ-ns1S_J5pTwtBjqPw edit?usp=sharing For now, here are the paper s flow-cytometry scatterplots: Figs 2C ( Flow cytometry analysis was performed to assess apoptosis of H460 and SK-MES-1 cells after transfection with siKCNMB2-AS1 or si-NC ), 4C, 6C, 7C.  Similar  harp-shaped FC results are found in Figs 2C, 4B, 5F from [Li et al (2019a)] .  Figs 2C, 4C, 5C from [Li et al (2019b)] .  I have not searched extensively for an exact match. , 
 Expression of Concern, [15 October 2021] . --------- The Editor and Publisher of *Cancer Management and Research* wish to publish an Expression of Concern for the published article. Following publication, concerns were raised about the scientific integrity of the articles content. We reached out to the authors requesting they supply information that would confirm the integrity of the data. The authors provided several files in response to our queries but they did not satisfy our requirements to confirm the authenticity of some types of data. In addition, there were unexplained similarities between some of the figures presented in this article, and figures presented in articles by different authors groups. As yet, the authors have not provided a satisfactory explanation for this. Therefore, as we continue to work through the issues raised, we advise readers to interpret the information presented in the article with due caution. The authors have been notified about this Expression of Concern. , 
 - *[left]* Fig 7G from  Long Noncoding RNA FOXD2-AS1 Promotes the Malignancy of Cervical Cancer by Sponging MicroRNA-760 and Upregulating Hepatoma-Derived Growth Factor ([Dou et al 2020] ). - *[right]* **Fig 2E**.  , 
 - *[left]* Fig 6d. - *[right]* Fig 5e from  TRG-AS1 is a potent driver of oncogenicity of tongue squamous cell carcinoma through microRNA-543 Yes-associated protein 1 axis regulation ([He et al 2020] ).  , 
 - *[left]* Fig 7D. - *right]* Fig 6D from  Long Noncoding RNA em FGD5-AS1 em Acts as a Competing Endogenous RNA on microRNA-383 to Enhance the Malignant Characteristics of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Increasing SP1 Expression ([Gao et al 2020] ) **[retracted]**.  , 
 Retracted [11 August 2022] . -------------------- At the authors request, the Editor and Publisher of Cancer Management and Research wish to retract the published article. Following publication of an Expression of Concern for this article, concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of images in Figures 2, 6 and 7 with similar images from other articles. Specifically, - Figure 2E, SK-MES-1, si-NC, appears to have been duplicated with a similar image in Figure 7G, HeLa, si-NC, from Dou et al (2020) . - Figure 6D, SK-MES-1, si-KCNMB2-AS1+pcDNA3.1-ROCK1, appears to have been duplicated with a similar image in Figure 5e, CAL-27, si-TRG-AS1+anti-miR-543 from He et al (2020) . - Figure 7D, H460, si-KCNMB2-AS1+miR-374a-3p inhibitor, appears to have been duplicated with a similar image in Figure 6D, TE-1, si-FGD5-AS1+pc-SP1 from Gao et al (2020) . The authors were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the alleged duplication of images and requested for the article to be retracted. The Editor agreed with this decision. Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u201cRetractedu201d. ,