<p>LncRNA PVT1 promotes proliferation, invasion and epithelial&ndash;mesenchymal transition of renal cell carcinoma cells through downregulation of miR-16-5p</p>
Authors: Yu Ren
Guobin Weng
Haote Liang
Yeping Li
Pinger Cui
Weiping Huang
Journal: OncoTargets and Therapy (2019)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: PVT1; apoptosis; invasion; miR-16-5p; migration
Affiliations: Department of Urology, Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China., Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China, .

Abstract:  Background: LncRNAs have recently emerged as vital regulators in the pathogenesis and development of various cancers. LncRNA PVT1 is reported to function as an oncogene in some tumors. However, the role of PVT1 in RCC remains unknown. Purpose: To explore the potential effects of lncPVT1 on the development of renal cell carcinoma. Methods: The expression of PVT1 in renal cancer cell lines and tissues was measured by qRT-PCR. The endogenous PVT1 was silenced by RNAi. Cell viabilities were measured by the MTT assay. The migration and invasion of cells were investigated by the transwell assay. The apoptosis of cells was measured by the Nucleosome ELISA and caspase-3 activity assays. The levels of proteins were measured by the western blot. Results: We found that PVT1 was upregulated in RCC tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues. PVT1 expression was closely correlated with TNM stage, Fuhrman grade, lymph node metastasis and tumor size. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that high expression of PVT1 was significantly associated with poor overall survival. In accordance, overexpression of PVT1 was observed in RCC cells comto HK-2 cell. Silencing of PVT1 significantly repressed cell viability, induced apoptosis and inhibited cell migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-16-5p was a target of PVT1. Silencing of miR-16-5p mostly reversed the regulatory effects on RCC cells induced by downregulation of PVT1. Conclusion: In summary, our study indicates that targeting PVT1 might represent a rational therapeutic strategy for RCC. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 1. In Fig.5D and Fig.5E, the area marked with red circle seems originates from the same image, although they each represent a different experiment. ![file] , 
 There is a further panel involved in the overlaps in Fig 5E: ![file] , 
 Thanks for your concern, we found that its due to the mistakenly upload the raw data. We already contacted the publisher to correct this mistake , 
 Figure 2C was also involved. It looks like 5 of the figures (marked by red frames) share at least some portion of a bigger picture. 2 others (marked by black frames) were the same picture but with some vertical scaling. ![file] , 
 #4 add one more duplication after scaling, the green frames: ![](http: )![file] , 
 PLS ignore #5. Can t delete it. Sorry. add one more duplication, the green frames. this one has scaling and cropping: ![file] , 
 Thanks for your concern, we carefully checked the original data. Due to our careless, when we uploaded the raw data of the transwell figures, we mistakenly chose the figures. But the conclusions were not affected. So we already sent a correction to the publisher to correct the mistake and the process is undergoing. And we are deeply sorry for any inconvenience caused by our mistakes. , 
 In the two errata all the images in those figures have been changed and they seem a lot different. Old ones: ![file] ![file] After errata: ![file] ![file] Prof. Liang, in your message you explain that you mistakenly chose the figures while you were writing the paper, am I right? Thus the old figures are in another paper (the right one I hope), have those duplications been removed? , 
 Prof. Liang, you told that you have chose the wrong pictures and conclusions were not affected, so why did the data of the column chart change? , 
 Thanks for your concerning. Because the experiments were repeated over 3 times which include the initial and revised figures. Therefore, the column results were not affected after the initial figures being replaced by the revised ones. , 
 Dear prof. Liang, I understand that the initial and revised figures come from 3 repeated experiments, were they from separated sets (e.g. the figures in the initial paper from Experiment 1 and the figures from the two Errata from Experiment 2) or did you mixed them? Because there s a duplication between the paper and the errata: ![file] ![file] ,