LncRNA LUCAT1 promotes rowth, migration, and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma by upregulating PCNA
Authors: Y Feng
J-G Liu
X-G Li
S-C Liu
Y-Y Xiao
W-H Chu
Y Kong
Q-L Yang
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2019)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA LUCAT1; OSCC; tumorigenesis; qRT-PCR; proliferation
Affiliations: Department of Pedodontics, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Jiamusi University in Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi, .

Abstract:  Objective: Recent studies have revealed the important role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the progression of tumorigenesis. This study aims to identify how lncRNA LUCAT1 functions in the progression of OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma). Patients and methods: Relative expression of lncRNA LUCAT1 in both OSCC cells and 50 paired tissue samples was detected by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, biological function of LUCAT1 in OSCC was identified by performing transwell assay, wound healing assay and proliferation assay in vitro. The underlying mechanism was explored by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results: LUCAT1 expression was remarkably downregulated in OSCC tissues when compared with that in adjacent normal samples. Moreover, proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells were inhibited after knockdown of LUCAT1 in vitro. Knockdown of LUCAT1 downregulated PCNA in OSCC cells at mRNA and protein level in vitro. Besides, PCNA expression in OSCC tissues was positively correlated with the expression of LUCAT1. Conclusions: Knockdown of LUCAT1 could inhibit migration, invasion and proliferation capacities of OSCC cells through downregulating PCNA, which may offer a new therapeutic intervention for OSCC 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. , 
 Some time in the last week or so, the journal wished the paper into the cornfield: https: www.europeanreview.org article 22234 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, u201cLncRNA LUCAT1 promotes rowth, migration, and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma by upregulating PCNA, by Y. Kong, Y. Feng, Y.-Y. Xiao, S.-C. Liu, X.-G. Li, Q.-L. Yang, W.-H. Chu, J.-G. Liu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (11): 4770-4776u2013 DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201906_18059u2013PMID: 31210306u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,