RETRACTED ARTICLE: Lycium barbarum polysaccharide alleviates oxygen glucose deprivation-induced PC-12 cells damage by up-regulating miR-24
Authors: Pengyan Zhu
Xiaomei Li
Faliang Lin
Changyan Wu
Shuling Zhao
Shiqing Song
Qiao Han
Journal: Artificial Cells Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (2019)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: polysaccharides; ischemic stroke; miR-24; oxygen and glucose deprivation.
Affiliations: Department of Rehabilitation, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College , Yantai , China., Department of Acupuncture, Yantai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Yantai , China., Department of Blood-Donation Service, Yantai Blood Center , Yantai , China., Department of Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College , Zunyi , China.

Abstract:  Objective: This research was aimed to detect the functions of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) injury and potential mechanisms at PC-12 cells. Methods: CCK-8, flow cytometry and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays were used to detect OGD, LBPs and miR-24 effects on cell viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. MiR-24 was transfected and texted by transfection and qRT-PCR. Moreover, the related-protein levels of apoptosis, autophagy and pathways were tested by Western blotting. Results: LBPs significantly enhanced cell viability , inhibited cell apoptosis, autophagy and ROS level in OGD injury. In addition, miR-24 expression was declined in OGD-treated cells, while it was elevated when added LBPs. The preventive effects of LBPs on PC-12 cell damage induced by OGD were reversed by down-regulating miR-24. Furthermore, miR-24 inhibitor declined LBPs-induced change in Wnt/β-catenin and JAK1/STAT3 pathways in OGD-injuried cells. Conclusions: LBPs exhibited preventive effects via up-regulating miR-122 and activating Wnt/β-catenin and JAK1/STAT3 pathways in OGD-induced PC-12 cells. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 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 , 
 Interestingly, this author group appears to have also published a previous paper, retracted in 2017, which has its own PubPeer thread (only containing the retraction notice, relevant excerpt below): https: pubpeer.com publications 785497494AE0DB38B7374E85C972BC  Following the publication of this article [1], concerns were raised that background pixelation patterns are highly similar between individual Western blot panels in each of the relevant figure panels. The authors have not responded to the journalu2019s queries and we have not received a response from the corresponding authoru2019s institution (Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College) regarding the concerns raised. Furthermore, the underlying data supporting the results in this article have not been provided, per our Data Availability policy. In light of the image concerns and the unavailability of underlying data, the PLOS ONE Editors retract this article. The authors did not comment on the retraction decision. I offer for comparison below a sample Figure from each of these two papers. *** ![file] , 
 April 2021 Retraction, found here: https: www.tandfonline.com doi full 10.1080 21691401.2021.1899446 It reads:  Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors have been unable to verify their original data. We also have concerns regarding the integrity of the authorship, as one author has stated they did not consent to being listed as an author. We are therefore retracting this article and the corresponding author listed in this publication have been informed. ,