Retracted : Synergistic effect of siRNA‐mediated silencing of TGF‐β R1 and TGF‐β R2 genes on the proliferation and apoptosis of penile urethral epithelial cells in hypospadiac male rats
Authors: Yan-Yan Qiao
Chao Wang
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2018)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: TGF-β R1; TGF-β R2; apoptosis; gene silencing; hypospadias
Affiliations: Department of Urology, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, P.R. China., School of Clinical Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, P.R. China.

Abstract:  The study elucidated the effects associated with silencing growth factor-β R1 (TGF-β R1) and TGF-β R2 genes on the proliferation and apoptosis of penile urethral epithelial cells (UECs) in hypospadiac male rats. Seventy-five male rats were distributed into the normal, model, TGF-β R1/2-siRNA, TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups. The UECs of the rats included in the study were cultured in vitro and subsequently divided into the control, blank, TGF-β R1/2-siRNA, TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups. The mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-β R1/R2 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay as well as by flow cytometry. Compared with the normal group, the apoptotic rate of the UECs in the model, TGF-β R1/2-siRNA, TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups displayed remarkable increases; compared with the model group, the apoptotic rate of the UECs in the TGF-β R1/2-siRNA, TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups displayed significant decreases, similar observations were made regarding mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-β R1 and TGF-β R2. Compared with the TGF-β R1/2-siRNA group, the apoptotic rates of the UECs in the TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups were up regulated, while cell proliferation in the TGF-β R1-siRNA and TGF-β R2-siRNA groups decreased accompanied by an increased rate of apoptosis. This study ultimately demonstrated that the silencing of TGF-β R1 and TGF-β R2 genes could promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of penile UECs in hypospadiac male rats. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 The micrographs presented in Figure 2A,B are apparantly a collage of randomly choosen images. In Figure 4, a micrograph has been duplicated and presented as something else (Blank vs Negative control). ![file] , 
 #1 On closer inspection, the righthand micrograph of Fig 2A resembles a snow-covered Canadian landscape, tinged blue by the wintry sunlight and covered with the spoor of tiny animals. ![file] , 
 #1 The left-hand micrograph of Fig 2A is pure Bik-bait. ![file] , 
 Fig 6A,B. ![file] For comparison with Fig 1A,B of [Wu et al (2018)] (in the same issue). ![file] , 
 Retracted [30 June 2021] . --------------------------- The above article, published online on 04 August 2017 in Wiley Online Library has been retracted by agreement between the 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. A detailed investigation revealed that several image elements of the experimental data were published elsewhere in a different scientific context. Thus, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. ,