miR-154 inhibits migration and invasion of human non-small cell lung cancer by targeting ZEB2
Authors: Peng Zhang
Zhiguang Yang
Yunpeng Liu
Guoguang Shao
Xingyu Lin
Journal: Oncology Letters (2016)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: ZEB2; invasion; miR-154; migration; non-small cell lung cancer.
Affiliations: Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China.

Abstract:  Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRs) play critical roles in the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In a previous study, the present authors demonstrated that miR-154 acts as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC; however, its underlying molecular mechanism and target in NSCLC remain poorly understood. In the present study, ectopic expression of miR-154 remarkably suppressed cell migration and invasion in NSCLC cells. Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) was identified as a direct target of miR-154 in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-154 could decrease the expression of ZEB2 at the messenger RNA and protein levels. Ectopic expression of miR-154 also increased the levels of E-cadherin, an epithelial marker, and decreased the levels of vimentin, a mesenchymal marker, which contributed to suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and to inhibit cell migration and invasion. In addition, downregulation of ZEB2 exerted similar effects to those caused by miR-154 overexpression on NSCLC cell migration and invasion, while upregulation of ZEB2 could significantly reverse the inhibitory effects on migration and invasion caused by miR-154 on NSCLC cells. These findings demonstrated that miR-154 inhibited migration and invasion of NSCLC cells by regulating EMT through targeting ZEB2, suggesting that miR-154 may be a potential anticancer therapeutic target for NSCLC. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 1.  Transwell assay was used to evaluate the (A) migration and (B) invasion abilities of A549 cells transfected with miR-154 mimic or miR-NC . I don t know how this slipped through the editing, peer-review and proofreading stages. ![file] , 
 *[left]* Fig 5B.  Protein expression of ZEB2 was detected by western blotting in A549 cells transfected with pcDNA3.0-ZEB2 or blank vector . *[right]* Fig 6B from [Peng et al (2016)] .  STAT3 protein was assessed by western blot analysis in U87 cells co-transfected with the STAT3 overexpression plasmid and miR-506 miR-NC. ![file] , 
 Fig 4B.  Protein expression of ZEB2 was detected by western blotting in A549 cells transfected with si-ZEB2 or si-Scramble . ![file] Fig 3D from [Tong et al (2017)] :  Western blot analysis of SOX4 protein expression in RCC cells following transfection with miR-338-3p or miR-NC . ![file] Figs 4A, 3D from [Chen et al (2019)] . ![file] AKT, in Fig 6 from [Wu et al (2015)] . ![file] Many other manifestations are linked in those threads. The violet box around the GAPDH loading control from Fig 6 of Wu et al is to facilitate comparison with the present Fig 3B,  ZEB2, E-cadherin and vimentin protein expression in A549 cells transfected with miR-154 mimic or miR-NC were detected by western blotting . ![file] , 
 Retracted [June 18 2021] . ---------------------------------------------- Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors attention by a concerned reader that certain of the western blotting data shown in Figs. 3B, 4B and 5B bore unexpected similarities to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors. Owing to the fact that some of the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to Oncology Letters, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. After having been in contact with the authors, they agreed with the decision to retract the paper. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. ,