Role of miR-132/methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 in the regulation of neural stem cell differentiation
Authors: Jie Liu
Shao-Hua Li
Zhong Wu
Dong Chen
Journal: Neural Regeneration Research (2021)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: astrocytes; factor; model; pathways; stem cell.
Affiliations: Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract:  Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a well-known transcription repressor, and mutations in MECP2 cause serious neurological disorders. Many studies have suggested that MeCP2 is involved in neural maturation only, and have not reported its role in neural stem cell differentiation. In the present study, we investigated this possible role of MeCP2 in neural stem cells. We used two different differentiation methods to explore how MeCP2 influences neural stem cell differentiation. When we transfected MeCP2-overexpressing lentivirus into neural stem cells, astrocytic differentiation was impaired. This impaired astrocytic differentiation occurred even in conditions of 20% fetal bovine serum, which favored astrocytic differentiation. In addition, miR-132 had the largest expression change after differentiation among several central nervous system related miRNAs. A luciferase assay confirmed that miR-132 directly targeted MeCP2, and that miR-132 was able to reduce MeCP2 expression at both the RNA and protein levels. The upregulation of miR-132 by miRNA mimics promoted astrocytic differentiation, which was fully recovered by MeCP2 overexpression. These results indicate that miR-132 regulates cell lineage differentiation by reducing MeCP2. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of TongJi University, China (approval No. SHDSYY-2018-4748) on March 10, 2018. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Seems to have 2 duplications between Fig 2 and 3. ![file] , 
 #1 Thank you for your interest in our study and for helping us find the problem in this study. As you mentioned, pictures with red and green rectangles are the same. As for the 2 figures with red rectangles, in Figure2E, we intended to put it to present GFAP positive cells occupied a large proportion. You may find that there was no Control group in Figure2E, it was just an illustration. But now it seems a superfluous action and causes ambiguity, we will contact the editor office to work out a corrigendum to delete it. As for 2 figures with green rectangles, after check the manuscript, there may be some problems in major revision in the 2nd round. It was our carelessness to uploaded the wrong picture. The picture with green rectangle should not be in Figure2F. But thses 2 same pictures in figure2F and figure3E present the same meaning that miR-132 promoted astrocyte differentiation. Also, we will work out a corrigendum to replace figure2F. This comment is very helpful. Thanks. , 
 Retracted, [May 2021] .  After self-inspection of the article (Chen et al., 2021; doi:10.4103 1673-5374.290908), the authors found problems with image duplication. The panel of NC group in Figure 2B was identical to the panel of NC group in Figure 5A in the paper that the authors have previously published in Cell Physiol Biochem (doi: 10.1159 000491543; Chen et al., 2018). After contacting the editorial office of Neural Regeneration Research, this article has been withdrawn as the request by the authors. ,