Retracted : MicroRNA‐339‐3p alleviates inflammation and edema and suppresses pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell apoptosis in mice with severe acute pancreatitis‐associated acute lung injury by regulating Anxa3 via the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Xing-Mao Wu
Bin Zang
Jia Jia
Yang Zhao
Kai-Qiang Ji
Hai-Yuan Wang
Xiao-Peng Gao
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2018)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Akt/mTOR signaling pathway; Anxa3; Pulmonary vascular endothelial cells; apoptosis; microRNA-339-3p
Affiliations: Intensive Care Unit, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China.

Abstract:  Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a disease with a high mortality. Patients with SAP may also be complicated with acute lung injury (ALI). So far the therapy for SAP-ALI is still limited. Emerging evidences demonstrate that microRNAs (miRs) could play a role in SAP-ALI. This study aims to define the role of miR-339-3p in SAP-ALI via Anxa3 through the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Ten mice were selected as sham group and 36 mice as model group which further assigned into different groups. Relationship between miR-339-3p and Anxa3 was detected by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and serum amylase (AMS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in lung tissues were determined by ELISA. Expression of related genes in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) and lungs tissues was determined by Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and TUNEL. SAP-ALI mice had decreased survival rate, increased levels of TNF-α, IL-6, AMS, MPO, and Schmidt scores. miR-339-3p was poorly expressed in lung tissue of SAP-ALI mice while Anxa3 was reciprocal. Anxa3 was targeted by miR-339-3p. miR-339-3p inhibited the relative expression of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins, alleviated inflammation and edema of SAP-ALI mice, and suppressed apoptosis of PMVECs; Anxa3 exhibited opposite trends. In conclusion, overexpressed miR-339-3p could suppress Anxa3 to inhibit the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, so as to decrease tissue edema, inflammation, and PMVEC apoptosis in SAP-ALI mice. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 4D,  flow cytometry reveals that miR-339-3p decreases apoptosis of PMVECs while Anxa3 increases it . There s a lot going on here. ![file] Left-hand ( Blank ) and right-hand panels appear to be identical, just shifted on the axes (dark blue boxes). In addition,  Blank and NC share a central area in common (light blue boxes). A smaller area of cells also appears in the miR-339-3p panel (light green boxes). Finally,  Anxa3 is a vertically-stretched version, illustrated by particular patches of cells within brown boxes. , 
 Figs 3L,M and 4C,G. ![file] The protein blobs seem to come from the same restricted gamut shown in this montage: ![] , 
 Fig 1H,  HE staining (200u00d7) of pancreas and lung and Fig 3E,  HE staining (200u00d7) of pancreas and lung according to Schmidt scoring system . ![file] ![file] For comparison, Fig 4A from [Wu et al (2019)] ( on the basis of HE staining results of pancreas (u00d7400, scale = 25 u00b5m), pancreas in the miRu2010542u20105p mimic, PAK1 KD and miRu2010542u20105p inhibitor+PAK1 KD groups has slight edema with little inflammation cell infiltration. The overall pathological change is significantly better than that in the SAP group ) and B ( on the basis of HE staining results of lung tissues (u00d7400, scale = 25 u00b5m), The pulmonary interstitium in the miRu2010542u20105p mimic, PAK1 KD and miRu2010542u20105p inhibitor+PAK1 KD groups appears slight edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar septal widening, and local hemorrhage thickening in those three groups have significant improvement when compared with the SAP group ). ![file] Could the authors comment on the similarities? The matching figures seem to represent different treatments. , 
 Retracted [21 July 2021] . ---------------------------------------- The above article, published online on 25 April 2018 in Wiley Online Library has been retracted by agreement between the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. A detailed investigation revealed that several image elements of the experimental data were published elsewhere in a different scientific context. Thus, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. , 
 #2 Fig 4D again: ![] Fig 9C from [Cai et al (2018)] : ![] UPDATE: Another sighting! Fig 10a from [Yang et al (2019)] : ![] ,