Long noncoding RNA SNHG7 represses the expression of RBM5 to strengthen metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Y Wang
D-G Ji
B-Z Sun
Z-X Feng
Journal: European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences (2019)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA; SNHG7; metastasis; HCC; RBM5
Affiliations: Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be vital in tumor progression. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of fatal primary liver cancers worldwide. This study aims to determine whether lncRNA SNHG7 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 7) functions in the metastasis of HCC. Patients and methods: Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to detect the SNHG7 expression in HCC cells and tissue samples. Moreover, function assays were performed in vitro to identify the role of SNHG7 in metastasis of HCC cells. Western blot assay was used to explore the possible mechanism. Results: SNHG7 expression was remarkably higher in HCC tissues than that in adjacent tissues. Moreover, HCC migration and invasion were suppressed after silence of SNHG7 in HCC cells. Moreover, after silence of SNHG7, RBM5 was upregulated in HCC cells. Besides, the expression of RBM5 in tumor tissues was negatively correlated to the expression of SNHG7. Conclusions: Our study suggests that SNHG7 could promote cell invasion and migration in HCC cells through downregulating RBM5, which may offer a new therapeutic intervention for HCC patients. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This paper is one of a set of 121 papers that all contain images from the same library of about 100 photos and plots. This is unexpected, because each paper has different authors and different affiliations, with little to no overlap, and describes different cancer types and molecules. It would be very hard to explain how authors from different labs would all obtain the same photo. Therefore, the papers might have all be derived from the same source, such as a paper mill that sells ready-to-be-published papers. This  Stock Photo paper set has been described in more detail on my blog post, https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 07 05 the-stock-photo-paper-mill and in a Wall Street Journal article by Eva Xiao (currently behind a paywall): https: www.wsj.com articles chinese-research-papers-raise-doubts-fueling-global-questions-about-scientific-integrity-11593939600 The vast majority (113 121) of the papers were published in the same journal, European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences (ERMPS). A link to the full set of papers can be found here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 172RWS18w1lTNJ9Nnj80fuXXTqTm4fGkoK0sdYyvKE3g edit?usp=sharing All papers have been reported to the journal editors on July 2, 2020. , 
 This article has been withdrawn around August 1, 2020. The retraction notice is not linked to the article, but can be found here: https: www.europeanreview.org article 22449 It reads:  *Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, u201cLong noncoding RNA SNHG7 represses the expression of RBM5 to strengthen metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma, by B.-Z. Sun, D.-G. Ji, Z.-X. Feng, Y. Wang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (13): 5699-5704u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201907_18307u2013PMID: 31298322u201d has been withdrawn.* *The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.* ,