<p>Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNA LINC00922 Aggravates the Malignant Phenotype of Breast Cancer by Regulating the microRNA-424-5p/BDNF Axis</p>
Authors: Zhuo Wang
Xin Yue
Journal: Cancer Management and Research (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: RNA immunoprecipitation; apoptosis; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; molecular sponge; quantitative reverse transcription PCR.
Affiliations: Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, Jingzhou, Hubei, 434000, People's Republic of China.

Abstract:  Purpose: Long intergenic non-coding RNA 922 (LINC00922) plays a critical role in the progression of lung cancer. In this study, we aimed to quantify LINC00922 expression in breast cancer and determine its influence on the malignant behavior of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We also investigated the mechanism by which LINC00922 affects the progression of breast cancer. Materials and methods: Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify LINC00922 expression in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. The cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, Transwell migration and invasion assays, and tumor model assays were performed to determine the effects of LINC00922 deficiency on breast cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo, respectively. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the potential target microRNA of LINC00922. The prediction was further evaluated using luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: LINC00922 was clearly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. LINC00922 depletion restricted breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but induced cell apoptosis in vitro. Additionally, its knockdown evidently repressed tumor growth of breast cancer cells in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC00922 was demonstrated to serve as a molecular sponge for miR-424-5p in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was verified as a direct target of miR-424-5p in breast cancer cells, and BDNF expression was found to be positively regulated by LINC00922 through sponging miR-425-5p. Rescue experiments further revealed that the influences on breast cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion induced by LINC00922 silencing were abrogated by increasing the output of the miR-424-5p/BDNF axis. Conclusion: The LINC00922/miR-424-5p/BDNF pathway is implicated in the acceleration of the malignant behavior of breast cancer cells. These findings suggest that this pathway is a promising novel molecular target in breast cancer therapy. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Two flow-cytometry plots share most of their points in common, suggesting that they come from the same raw data file (differently gated and filtered). I have adjusted contrast and aspect ratios for ease of comparison. ![file] In context, righthand panel is from Figs 1I, 3C, 4C, 5C. ![] Lefthand panel is from Fig 4B from [Li et al (2019)] . ![file] ------------------------------------- UPDATE: Make that **three** panels. ![] I have added (right) a panel from Figs 1F, 4C, 5C of [Zhang et al (2020)] . ![] , 
 Retracted [4 October 2021] . ------------------------------------ The Editor and Publisher of Cancer Management and Research wish to retract the published paper. Concerns were raised over alleged image duplication in Figure 1I with similar images from unrelated articles, specifically: - Figure 1I, panel MDA-MB-231 si-LINC00922 appears to have been duplicated with similar images in Figure 4B from Li et al, 2019 and Figure 5C from Zhang et al, 2020 . The authors responded to our queries but were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the alleged duplication and could not provide satisfactory original data for their study. The Editor advised for the article to be retracted. Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u201cRetractedu201d. ,