LASP-1, regulated by miR-203, promotes tumor proliferation and aggressiveness in human non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Fangping Wang
Xinbo Wang
Jie Zheng
Shijun Lu
Journal: Experimental and Molecular Pathology (2016)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: LASP-1; NSCLC; invasion; miR-203; migration
Affiliations: Department of Pathology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China. Electronic address: ., Department of Pathology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China., Department of Surgical Oncology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261042, P.R. China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  The LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP-1) has been reported to be associated with tumor development and progression. However, the expression and potential function of LASP-1 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains undefined. Thus, this study aims to determine the relationship of LASP-1 expression with the progression and prognosis of NSCLC. Expression of LASP-1 was evaluated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. The relationship between LASP-1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. The effects of LASP-1 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were investigated in NSCLC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Luciferase assay was used to determine whether LASP-1 could be regulated by miR-203. We found that LASP-1 was overexpressed in NSCLC and its expression level was closely correlated with tumor size, advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis as well as survival time and could be recognized as an independent prognostic factor of patients. LASP-1 could promote proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, LASP-1 was proved to be a direct target gene for miR-203. Our results suggest that LASP-1, mediated by miR-203, has crucial functions in the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 4C legend:  The incidence of metastasis to lung was significantly less in mice injected with H1299 sh-LASP-1 or A549 Con cells than those of H1299 Scramble or A549 LASP-1 cells, 100u00d7; scale bar, 100u03bcm, u204eP b 0.05. Unexpectedly, all 4 panels here appear to show an overlap, suggesting all 4 photos were derived from the same specimen. An exception is an area in the H1299 Scramble panel that is not visible in the A549 Con panel. ![file] , 
 The top right panel of Figure 4 (H1299 Scramble) also bears striking similarities to the left panel of Figure 4B (SGC7901 Scramble) from an older paper by the same research group (2 shared authors), i.e. Zheng et al, J Cancer Res Clin Oncol (2014) 140:1891u20131899 DOI 10.1007 s00432-014-1759-3. Although the structure of the tissue is remarkably similar between these 2 photos, they differ in position of the dark purple (cancerous) areas. Shown with light blue boxes. ![file] , 
 Western blots in Figure 1 from this paper (lung cancer) also share unexpected similarities to Western blots in the 2014 paper (gastric cancer) from the same research group. ![file] , 
 Figure 3 from this paper shows unexpected similar groupings of cells within the same photo. Some of those have been marked here. I did not try to mark them all. ![file] ,