Knockdown of long noncoding RNA linc-ITGB1 suppresses migration, invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating ZEB1
Authors: K Wang
G-J Liao
W-W Yu
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2017)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: linc-ITGB1; metastasis; hepatocellular carcinoma; ZEB1; epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)
Affiliations: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, Shandong Province, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: This research focuses on the influence of linc-ITGB1 on the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma and further explores its underlying mechanism. Patients and methods: A total of 70 hepatocellular carcinoma patients were chosen for our study. RT-qPCR was used for detecting the expression level of linc-ITGB1 in their cancer tissues. Moreover, the expression level of linc-ITGB1 was also detected in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, whether linc-ITGB1 could affect the migrated and invaded ability of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was determined by wound healing assay and transwell assay. We further explored the potential mechanism by RT-qPCR and Western blot assay. Results: Linc-ITGB1 expression level in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues was remarkably higher than that in adjacent tissues. Moreover, migrated and invaded ability of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was inhibited through knockdown of linc-ITGB1. Further study revealed that silenced linc-ITGB1 inhibited the expression of ZEB1 and then suppressed epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was important during the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, the inhibition of cell invasion by silenced linc-ITGB1 could be rescued through overexpression of ZEB1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions: The results indicate that linc-ITGB1, a novel oncogene in tumorigenesis, could promote the metastasis and EMT via ZEB1, which may offer a possible therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma. 

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. , 
 Some time in the last week or so, the journal wished the paper into the cornfield: https: www.europeanreview.org article 22249 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, u201cKnockdown of long noncoding RNA linc-ITGB1 suppresses migration, invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating ZEB1, by W.-W. Yu, K. Wang, G.-J. Liao, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (22): 5089-5095u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201711_13823 u2013PMID: 29228420u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,