Silencing circular RNA circANKRD36 remits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory damage by regulating microRNA-15/MyD88
Authors: Shujun Tao
Nan Zhu
Lingling Yu
Tingting Li
Qiaoyan Wang
Journal: Journal of cellular biochemistry (2020)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: LPS; bedsore; circANKRD36; inflammatory damage; miR-15.
Affiliations: Department of Hepatopathy IIQingdao No. 6 People's Hospital Qingdao China, Department of Hepatopathy XQingdao No. 6 People's Hospital Qingdao China

Abstract:  Bedsore is a familiar disease, which fearfully harms the health of the patients. We investigated the efficacy and mechanism of circular RNA circANKRD36 on HaCaT cell in inflammatory damage. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were respectively used to investigate the efficacies of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), circANKRD36, and microRNA (miR)-15 on cell viability and apoptosis. Moreover, circANKRD36 and miR-15 expression were changed by cell transfection and investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the levels of Bax, pro caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and proteins of the pathway were investigated by Western blot. Otherwise, the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was investigated by ROS assay. The relation between myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and miR-15 was investigated by luciferase assay. LPS caused inflammatory damage and upregulated circANKRD36. circANKRD36 was silenced in cells and si-circANKRD36 remitted inflammatory damage. Furthermore, si-circANKRD36 negatively regulated miR-15 and miR-15 inhibitor could reverse the efficacies of si-circANKRD36. Besides, si-circANKRD36 restrained the NF-κB pathway by upregulating miR-15. Finally, MyD88 was authenticated as a target of miR-15. circANKRD36 remitted cell inflammatory damage upregulating miR-15/MyD88 via the NF-κB pathway in HaCaT cells. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 The Western blots in this paper have an interesting appearance that appears to be shared with blots in other papers from other research groups, such as these papers published in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry: * Ying Liu et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29568 * Long Liu et al. 2020, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29642 * Lin Zhang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28729 * Yugeng Li et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29146 * Xiaoliang Yang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28829 * Ning Han et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29638 All these papers share particular characteristics, such as similar title structure, similar graph design, and the appearance of the Western blots. Western blot panels within the same figure, and across figures and papers, appear to share the same background or parts of the background. In addition, the bands are regularly spaced, all have similar rounded edges, without the usual smudges and specks. The bands also sometimes have a particular fish-like shape that resembles jumping sardines. For example, here is Figure 4B, with its contrast enhanced to bring out details. Although the bands are differently shaped, the background of these panels is more similar than expected. Colored panels draw attention to background areas that look unexpectedly similar. Could the authors provide the original, uncropped blots, please? ![file] , 
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Retracted [4 June 2021] . ------------------------------------- The above article, published online on 06 November 2019 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. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. , 
 Qingdao 6th People s Hospital announced the results of an investigation on [29 September 2021](http: www.qdcrbyy.cn news_view.aspx?id=1A304A3694D6CE46). Thanks Google Translate for translation. ------------------------- In order to strengthen the construction of scientific research integrity, severely punish violations, and create a good environment for scientific and technological innovation, the relevant paper issues recently investigated and dealt with by this unit are hereby notified as follows. Our hospital Yu Lingling is the corresponding author, Tao Shujun and Wang Qiaoyan are the co-first authors of the paper  Silencing circular RNA circANKRD36 remits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory damage by regulating microRNA 15MyD88 . After investigation, there is academic misconduct in writing and casting. behavior. The relevant responsible personnel shall be dealt with as follows: - 1. For Lingling (corresponding author): scientific research integrity and admonition talk; notification of criticism within the scope of hospital professional departments; cancellation of applications or declarations for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, scientific and technological talent titles, and professional and technical job promotion within five years Eligibility; cancellation of membership or membership of academic organizations such as societies, associations, research associations, and academic work institutions such as academic and degree committees; cancellation of qualifications as nominees or recommenders, nominees or recommenders, review experts, etc. within five years; withdrawal of papers . - 2. To Wang Qiaoyan (first author): Talks about scientific research integrity and admonitions; Announce criticism within the scope of the hospital s professional departments; cancel applications or applications for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, scientific and technological talent titles, and professional technical positions within five years Qualifications for promotion; cancellation of membership or membership of academic organizations such as societies, associations, research associations, and academic work institutions such as academic and degree committees; cancellation of qualifications as nominees or recommenders, nominees or recommenders, review experts, etc. within five years; withdrawal Draft . - 3. To Tao Shujun (tied as the first author) : talk about scientific research integrity and admonishment; report criticism within the scope of hospital professional departments; cancel application or application for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, scientific and technological talent titles and professional skills within six years Qualifications for job promotion; cancellation of membership or membership of academic organizations such as societies, associations, research associations, and academic and degree committees; cancellation of qualifications as nominees or recommenders, nominees or recommenders, and review experts within six years; Retraction . - 4. Zhu Nan (the second author) and Li Tingting (the third author) : Talks on scientific research integrity and admonition; circulated criticism within the scope of hospital professional departments; canceled applications or declarations for science and technology plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards within one year Qualifications for titles of scientific and technological talents and promotion of professional and technical positions; cancellation of membership or membership of academic organizations such as societies, associations, research associations, and academic work institutions such as academic and degree committees; cancellation of being nominated or recommended within one year, nominated or recommended Qualifications such as personnel, review experts, etc. ,