Retracted : Knockdown of long noncoding RNA urothelial carcinoma–associated 1 inhibits cell viability, migration, and invasion by regulating microRNA‐182 in gastric carcinoma
Authors: Lei Qin
Zhongyuan Liu
Zhihua Jia
Dawei Xie
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2018)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: gastric cancer; microRNA-182; nuclear factor κB; phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase 3 β; tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2
Affiliations: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Jining, China., Department of General Surgery, Zoucheng City People's Hospital, Zoucheng, China.

Abstract:  Background: Long noncoding RNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) has been reported to be a vital mediator in various cancers. But, in terms of gastric cancer (GC), the effects of UCA1 on GC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis remain unclear. This study aimed to uncover the potential regulatory mechanism of UCA1 in GC cells. Methods: The expression level of UCA1 was first examined in the five different cell lines of HEK293, CCL-153, HUVEC, SUN-216, and SGC-7901 using a reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Then, the vectors of short hairpin UCA1, the microRNA-182 (miR-182) mimic/inhibitor, and the pEX-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2)/small interfering TIMP2 were transfected into SUN-216 and SGC-7901 cells to alter UCA1, miR-182, and TIMP2 expression. To investigate the biological functions, cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry. The key factors of apoptosis and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signal pathways were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: UCA1 was upregulated in SUN-216 and SGC-7901 cells than in the other three cell lines of HEK293, CCL-153, and HUVEC. Knockdown of UCA1 significantly suppressed cell viability, migration, and invasion, and promoted apoptosis by regulating B-cell lymphoma 2, Bax, and cleaved-caspase-3/9 expressions. However, miR-182 overexpression markedly reversed the regulatory effect of UCA1 knockdown on SUN-216 and SGC-7901 cells. TIMP2 was a direct target gene of miR-182, and TIMP2 overexpression exhibited the same effect of UCA1 knockdown on cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Besides, miR-182 activated PI3K/AKT/GSK3β and NF-κB signal pathways by regulation of TIMP2. Conclusion: Knockdown of UCA1 exerts an anticancer effect on GC cells by regulating miR-182. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 In many of the Western immunblots in this article, the backgrounds seem to have the same pattern. After contrast enhancing, these patterns are visible. I have included some examples from Figure 3, 6 and 7. ![file] ![file] , 
 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 , 
 Retracted [22 April 2021] . ----------------------------------------------- **Retraction**: u201cKnockdown of long noncoding RNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 inhibits cell viability, migration, and invasion by regulating microRNA-182 in gastric carcinoma,u201d by Lei Qin, Zhihua Jia, Dawei Xie, Zhongyuan Liu, J Cell Biochem. 2018:10075-10086. The above article, published online on 20 August 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. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. , 
 http: med.china.com.cn content pid 291148 tid 1013 iswap 1 The paper  Knockdown of long noncoding RNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 inhibitscell viability, migration, and invasion by regulating microRNA-182 in gastriccarcinoma published by Liu Zhongyuan as the corresponding author and Qin Lei as the first author from the First People s Hospital of Jining City, Shandong Province , After investigation, it was found that there were academic misconducts such as tampering with data, fabricating research processes, and improper signatures. The relevant responsible persons shall be dealt with as follows: 1. Corresponding author Liu Zhongyuan: Cancel the application qualifications for scientific research projects, scientific research awards, scientific and technological achievements, scientific and technological talent plans within 5 years, cancel qualifications for nominations or recommenders, nominees or recommenders, review experts, etc. within 5 years, and postpone promotion for 1 year Senior professional and technical positions, recover the matching funds for scientific research projects, and instruct them to contact the magazine as soon as possible to withdraw the manuscript; 2. For the first author Qin Lei: cancel the qualifications for applying for scientific research projects, scientific research awards, scientific and technological achievements, scientific and technological talent plans within 5 years, and cancel the qualifications for being a nominee or recommender, nominated or recommender, and review expert for 5 years, and recover The author s personal research awards and honorary titles of thesis received by the author will be postponed to a higher professional and technical position for one year. (Notification link: http: www.jnrmyy.com keyan kxyj gonggao 2021 0907 6083.html) ,