Retracted : Long noncoding RNA SNHG16 contributes to the development of bladder cancer via regulating miR‐98/STAT3/Wnt/β‐catenin pathway axis
Authors: Feng Feng
Qinghua Xia
Yougen Chen
Junjian Huang
Xunbo Jin
Aiping Chen
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2018)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Wnt/β-catenin pathway; bladder cancer; long noncoding RNA (lncRNA); miR-98; signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)
Affiliations: Department of Minimally Invasive Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China., Department of Urology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China., Department of Quality Control, Liaocheng People's Hospital, Liao Cheng, Shandong, China., Laboratory of Tumor and Molecular Biology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Abstract:  This study aimed to investigate the role and the possible mechanism of the long noncoding small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) in bladder cancer development. The expression of SNHG16 in the tumor tissues and plasma of patients with bladder cancer as well as bladder cancer cell lines was detected. T24 cells were then transfected with sh-SNHG16 to further investigate the effects of suppression of SNHG16 on T24 cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. In addition, the regulatory relationships between SNHG16 and miR-98 as well as the target of miR-98 were explored. Besides, the association between SNHG16 and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was further elucidated. The SNHG16 expression was upregulated in the tumor tissues and plasma of patients with bladder cancer, as well as bladder cancer cells. Suppression of SNHG16 inhibited T24 cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion in vitro. In addition, SNHG16 negatively regulated miR-98 expression and regulated the malignant behaviors of T24 cells through sponging miR-98. Moreover, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was identified as a functional target of miR-98, and miR-98 regulated the malignant behaviors of bladder cancer cells by targeting STAT3. Besides, suppression of SNHG16 inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which was further regulated by miR-98 and STAT3, indicating that the effects of SNHG16/miR-98/STAT3 on T24 cells were achieved through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our findings reveal that long noncoding RNAs SNHG16 is upregulated in bladder cancer and contributes to the development of bladder cancer possibly via regulating the miR-98/STAT3/Wnt/β-catenin pathway axis. The SNHG16/miR-98/STAT3/Wnt/β-catenin pathway axis may provide a new strategy for bladder cancer treatment. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 5  C, Colonyu2010forming assay showed the colonyu2010forming ability of different treated groups . A single image of a blank disk appears to have been copied four times and speckled with felt-pen dots. ![file] , 
 Fig 2 F, G ![file] Fig 3 I, J ![file] Fig 5 G ![file] The individual panels here may be familiar from their appearances in Figs 1F G, 2G H and 4D E from [Lv et al. (2019)] ; 3E F and 5D E from [Yi et al. (2019)] ; and Figs 2F G, 3I J and [5F G from Sun et al. (2019)] . ![] Despite the non-overlapping lists of nominal authors, all four papers are the work of a single uncredited workshop. UPDATE: Another sighting, Fig 2A C in [Wang Kong (2018)] - here at upper right. ![] , 
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Retracted [8 June 2021] . -------------------------------------------------- The above article, published online on 21 August 2018 in Wiley Online Library , has been retracted by agreement between the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. , 
 http: www.most.gov.cn zxgz kycxjs kycxgzdt 202201 t20220127_179206.html Google Translated Date: January 27, 2022 14:44 Source: Ministry of Science and Technology u3000u300033. The paper  Long noncoding RNA SNHG16 contributes to the development of bladder cancer via regulating miR-98 STAT3 Wnt u03b2-catenin pathway axis by Feng Feng from Shandong First Medical University is the corresponding author and the first author. After investigation, the paper has tampered with data and improper signature. Feng Feng was dealt with as follows: the scientific research integrity admonishment talk, cancel the qualification to participate in the current year s first-class evaluation, the annual evaluation shall not be determined as excellent, cancel the qualification for applying for or applying for science and technology plan projects for 5 years, cancel as a nominee or recommender, and be rejected. Qualifications such as nominations or recommenders, review experts, etc. for 5 years. u3000u3000(Notification link: https: sr.sdfmu.edu.cn info 1011 1967.htm) , 
 At the risk of accusations of dead-horse-flogging, I feel obliged to point out that the present Fig 5F *[left]* was copied from *[right]* Fig 4A of  Genome-Wide Screening Identified That miR-134 Acts as a Metastasis Suppressor by Targeting Integrin u03b21 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma ([Zha et al 2014] ). ![file] ,