Changqin NO. 1 inhibits neuronal apoptosis via suppressing GAS5 expression in a traumatic brain injury mice model
Authors: Yanyi Chen
Min Yi
Dongsheng Wang
Xia Xu
Xingping Dai
Journal: Biological Chemistry (2019)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: GAS5; Rasa1; long non-coding RNA; neuronal apoptosis; traditional Chinese medicine
Affiliations: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China.

Abstract:  The present study was designed to investigate the mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine Changqin NO. 1 on the amelioration of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Adult male C57BL/6J mice and newborn mice were used to generate a mouse TBI model and harvest primary neurons, respectively. The localizations of specific neural markers neuropilin-1 (Nrp-1), growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and microtubule-associated protein Tau (Tau) were examined in brain tissues by immunohistochemistry. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling apoptotic cell detection in tissue sections and the CCK-8 cell viability assay were performed to examine neuronal apoptosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were also carried out in this study. The association between long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth-arrest specific 5 (GAS5), miR-335 and RAS p21 GTPase activating protein 1 (Rasa1) was disclosed using the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Changqin NO. 1 inhibited TBI-induced neuronal apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. GAS5 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-335 to upregulate Rasa1 expression in mouse neuronal cells. Further investigations demonstrated that GAS5 promoted neuronal apoptosis following TBI via the miR-335/Rasa1 axis. In vivo experiments indicated that Changqin NO. 1 exerted neuroprotection during TBI via the GAS5/miR-335/Rasa1 axis. Changqin NO. 1 promoted neuroprotective effects by inhibiting neuronal apoptosis via the GAS5/miR-335/Rasa1 axis in TBI. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Some image concerns in this paper. One example, apparently overlapping images from Figure 2A (see green): *** ![file] , 
 Figure 1 does not instill a sense of confidence in the authors attention to detail. ![file] , 
 #1 Thank you for your questions. We are really sorry that such a mistake was caused due to the careless layout of the pictures. We immediately communicated with the magazine for the replacement of the wrong pictures or other solutions. We are deeply sorry for the bad influence brought for all the readers. We have provided the real experimental pictures as follows. ![file] , 
 #2 Thank you for your questions. We are really sorry that such a mistake was caused due to the careless layout of the pictures. We immediately communicated with the magazine for the replacement of the wrong pictures or other solutions. We are deeply sorry for the bad influence brought for all the readers. We have provided the real experimental pictures as follows. ![file] , 
 Other unexpected similarities in Figure 1. These are not identical fields, but share many similarities. ![file] , 
 ImageTwin found additional issues in Figure 1. ![file] ,