Long noncoding RNA CASC15 is upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer and facilitates cell proliferation and metastasis via targeting miR-130b-3p
Authors: W-L Wang
M Zhong
D-J Yu
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2019)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA; CASC15; NSCLC; tumorigenesis; miR-130b-3p
Affiliations: Department of Respiratory, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: Recent researches have discovered a class of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are dysregulated in various tumors and linked to carcinogenesis. This study aims to uncover the molecular functions of lncRNA CASC15 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumorigenesis. Patients and methods: Real Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect CASC15 expression in 55 NSCLC samples and four NSCLC cell lines. Besides, the function of CASC15 was detected through proliferation assay, transwell assay, and wound healing assay in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, the interaction between CASC15 and miR-130b-3p in NSCLC was studied by performing dual-luciferase reporter assay. In addition, tumor formation and metastasis assay were performed in vivo. Results: CASC15 expression was remarkably upregulated in NSCLC samples compared with that in adjacent samples. Cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in NSCLC were inhibited via knockdown of CASC15 in vitro. Moreover, RT-qPCR results revealed that miR-130b-3p was upregulated via knockdown of CASC15 in vitro. In addition, miR-130b-3p was a direct target of CASC15 in NSCLC. Tumor formation and metastasis were inhibited after CASC15 was knockdown in vivo. Conclusions: Our study indicates that CASC15 could promote metastasis and proliferation of NSCLC through sponging miR-130b-3p in vitro and in vivo, which may offer a new therapeutic intervention for NSCLC 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. , 
 Withdrawn [February 2021] .  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, u201cLong noncoding RNA CASC15 is upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer and facilitates cell proliferation and metastasis via targeting miR-130b-3p, by D.-J. Yu, M. Zhong, W.-L. Wang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (18): 7943-7949u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201909_19010u2013PMID: 31599419u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,