miRNA‑429 suppresses osteogenic differentiation of human adipose‑derived mesenchymal stem cells under oxidative stress via targeting SCD‑1
Authors: Yujin Tang
Zhenyang Tu
Junqing Liang
Ziran Gao
Jia Liu
Kegong Xie
Shengcai Pan
Lizhen Long
Changgong Lan
Landao Zhou
Journal: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine (2019)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: SCD-1; hADMSCs; miRNA-429; osteoporosis.
Affiliations: The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China

Abstract:  Role of microRNA-429 (miRNA-429) in osteogenic differentiation of hADMSCs was elucidated to explore the potential mechanism. Serum level of miRNA-429 in osteoporosis patients and controls was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After H2O2 induction in hADMSCs, cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were determined by cell-counting kit (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in H2O2-induced hADMSCs was also detected. The binding condition between miRNA-429 and SCD-1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Relative levels of osteogenesis-related genes influenced by SCD-1 and miRNA-429 were detected by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, regulatory effects of SCD-1 and miRNA-429 on ALP activity and calcification ability of hADMSCs were evaluated. miRNA-429 was significantly upregulated in serum of osteoporosis patients. During the process of osteogenesis differentiation, H2O2 induction gradually upregulated miRNA-429 in hADMSCs. Overexpression of miRNA-429 markedly reduced ALP activity. Subsequent dual-luciferase reporter gene assay verified that miRNA-429 could bind to SCD-1 and negatively regulated its protein level in hADMSCs. SCD-1 was obviously downregulated in the osteogenesis differentiation of hADMSCs under oxidative stress. Moreover, silencing of SCD-1 suppressed expression of osteogenesis-related gene, ALP activity and calcification ability. Notably, SCD-1 knockdown partially reversed the regulatory effect of miRNA-429 on the osteogenic differentiation of hADMSCs. miRNA-429 suppresses the osteogenic differentiation of hADMSCs under oxidative stress via downregulating SCD-1. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This paper appears to belong to a set of (as of today) seven papers that all show very similar, and sometimes overlapping, panels with Alizarin Red-stained cells. These papers were published by different authors at different hospitals, suggesting the photos all might have originated from the same source. The papers are: * AG Gao et al., , The First Affiliated Hospital Of Soochow University, Suzhou, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201807_15527- https: pubpeer.com publications 65A5976CDD42166D927AF2D3BA0B56 * B Luo et al., The Affiliated Hospital (Traditional Chinese Medicine) of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201908_18717 - https: pubpeer.com publications 20DFC925FC185C52D8BA99B153F510 * Changgong Lan et al., The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, DOI: 10.3892 etm.2019.8246 - https: pubpeer.com publications 1D79EA9F787AF36661079482544D12 * FB Weng et al., The Ninth Peopleu2019s Hospital of Suzhou, Suzhou, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201912_19759 - https: pubpeer.com publications D63F002727B3A990A4571F7D4B6F56 * GC Gao et al., The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_202001_20029 - https: pubpeer.com publications F04C25EBF6963C260938DF3B6BB999 * JY Li et al., Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201908_18519 - https: pubpeer.com publications 6171C86828BF72676BB2B178610093 * YC Fu et al., Health Management Center, Weifang Peopleu2019s Hospital, Weifang, DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201908_18632 - https: pubpeer.com publications FF66C46D23036BC26668481C279E4B Here is a collage of the images from these papers. Boxes of the same color highlight panels or parts of panels that look similar. ![file] , 
 Retracted [11 April 2022] .  Following the publication of this article, a concerned reader drew to our attention that a pair of the data panels featured in Fig. 4D featured some striking and unexpected similarities with data panels in Fig. 2D in an article published at a similar time [Luo B, Yang Ju2011F, Wang Yu2011H, Qu Gu2011B, Hao Pu2011D, Zeng Zu2011J, Yuan J and Yuan Y: MicroRNAu2011579u20113p promotes the progression of osteoporosis by inhibiting osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells through regulating Sirt1. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 23: 6791u20116799, 2019], and Fig. 2E in another article that was published in 2019 [Fy Yu2011C, Zhao Su2011R, Zhu Bu2011H, Guo Su2011S and Wang Xu2011X: MiRNAu201127au20113p promotes osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells through targeting ATF3. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 23: 73u201180, 2019]. After having conducted an internal investigation, the Editor of *Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine* agrees that the data in question had originated from the same original source(s). Therefore, owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to *Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine*, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors independently contacted the Editorial Office to request that the article be retracted on account of an authorship dispute. The Editor sincerely apologizes to the readership for the inconvenience caused, and we also thank the reader for bringing this matter to our attention. ,