RETRACTED ARTICLE: Long noncoding RNA SNHG15 enhances the development of colorectal carcinoma via functioning as a ceRNA through miR-141/SIRT1/Wnt/β-catenin axis
Authors: Zhili Hou
Xiantao Sun
Shengyun Hu
Yang Bai
Guixian Wang
Chao Yang
Journal: Artificial Cells Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (2019)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Colorectal cancer; SIRT1; SNHG15; Wnt/β-catenin signal; competitive endogenous RNA
Affiliations: Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Abstract:  Colon cancer, also known as colorectal carcinoma (CRC), remains to be one of the most mainsprings of cancer-produced deaths entire world. We planned to grab the role and possible biological cause of a long noncoding RNA, namely, small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15), in CRC. The mRNA level of SNHG15 in CRC tissues and cells was detected, followed by investigating the impacts of the depression of SNHG15 on CRC cell proliferation (viability and colony-forming), apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Moreover, the association between SNHG15 and miR-141 and the correlation between miR-141 and SIRT1 were also explored. Besides, the influences of dysregulated SNHG15 on the Wnt/β-catenin signal-related proteins were determined. SNHG15 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and cells. Depression of SNHG15 depressed proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, and repressed the migration and invasion of CRC cells. In addition, SNHG15 presented a downside tendency on regulating miR-141, and the miR-141 inhibitor dramatically changeover the impacts of SNHG15 depression on tumor growth and metastasis. Moreover, SIRT1 was verified as a functional target of miR-141 in CRC cells. Besides, the suppression of SNHG15 remarkably controlled activating the Wnt/β-catenin signals, which was reversed after inhibiting miR-141 at the same time. The investigated results in this research revealed that the increased expression of SNHG15 may enhance the process of CRC by acting as a ceRNA in regulating SIRT1 expression by sponging miR-141. Thus we propose that Wnt/β-catenin signals may be a downriver regulator in mediating the impacts of SNHG15 in CRC and SNHG15-miR-141-SIRT1 axis may pave a new sight in explaining the biological processes of CRC. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
  Figure 2. ... (C) Colony-forming assay showing colony-forming abilities of CaCO-2 and HCT-116 cells in different groups.  Details around the edges of these six disks are identical. In fact they look like six copies of a photograph of a blank disk, each adorned with a different pattern of felt-pen dots. ![file]  Figure 3. SNHG15 regulated tumor growth and metastasis through negative regulation of miR-141....(F) Colony-forming assay showing colony-forming abilities of HCT-116 cells in different groups. Details around the edges of these four disks are identical. In fact they look like four copies of a photograph of a blank disk, each adorned with a different pattern of felt-pen dots. ![file] , 
  Figure 3. ... (G) Flow cytometry showing that the apoptosis of HCT-116 cells in different groups .  Figure 5. Depression of SIRT1 reversed the effects of inhibition of miR-141 on the proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and repressed the migration and invasion of CRC cells. ... (D) Flow cytometry showing that the apoptosis of HCT-116 cells in different groups. Annotated to highlight the similarity of two hairball cell-clouds in the 3rd quadrant of two independent experiments. ![file] , 
 Not the biggest problem here, but in Fig 2(F) - Transwell migration images for CaCO-2 and HCT-116 cells under different conditions - the two cell lines are not as distinct as I would expect. ![file] , 
 #3 Fig 2  (F and G) Transwell assay showing the migration and invasion of CaCO-2 and HCT-116 cells in different groups ; Fig 3  (I and J) Transwell assay showing the migration and invasion of HCT-116 cells in different groups ; and Fig 5  (F and G) Transwell assay showing the migration and invasion of HCT-116 cells in different groups. ![file] , 
 #4 Here are Figs 2F G, 3I J and 5F G, at the bottom, enclosed by red boxes; in the middle, 3E F and 5D E from [Yi et al. (2019)] ; and above, Figs 1F G, 2G H and 4D E from [Lv et al. (2019)] . ![file] Surprisingly many panels are duplicated or triplicated, albeit differently labeled. I ran out of colors so have not marked all the duplicates involving the present 5F G. UPDATE: Further sightings. Fig 2A C in [Wang Kong (2018)] - here at upper right; and Figs 2H, 5G from [Feng et al (2018)] - here at lower right. ![] , 
 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 21691401.2020.1741843 We, the Publisher and Editor of Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, are issuing an Expression of Concern for the following article: Article title: Long noncoding RNA SNHG15 enhances the development of colorectal carcinoma via functioning as a ceRNA through miR-141 SIRT1 Wnt u03b2-catenin axis Authors: Xiantao Sun, Yang Bai, Chao Yang, Shengyun Hu, Zhili Hou and Guixian Wang Journal: Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology Bibliometrics: Volume 47, Number 01, pages 2536u20132544 DOI: https: doi.org 10.1080 21691401.2019.1621328 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 21691401.2021.1899429 It reads:  Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors checked their data and confirmed there are fundamental errors present. Therefore, they have agreed to the retraction of this article. ,