lncRNA NEAT1 Facilitates Cell Proliferation, Invasion and Migration by Regulating CBX7 and RTCB in Breast Cancer
Authors: Ze Zhang
Xingmei Yin
Lixia Yan
Yongxia Li
Journal: OncoTargets and Therapy (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: CBX7; NEAT1; RTCB; breast cancer; clinical biomarkers.
Affiliations: Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, People's Republic of China., Department of Stomatology and Eye, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying, Shandong 257091, People's Republic of China.

Abstract:  Purpose: To investigate the association between the lncRNA NEAT1 and breast cancer, and to determine the influence of NEAT1 on regulation of other signaling molecules in breast cancer. Methods: In the present study, we measured levels of the lncRNA NEAT1 in 106 breast cancer patients and in a human breast cancer cell line by qRT-PCR. The correlation between NEAT1 expression and patients' clinical characteristics was analyzed with in-house and TCGA data. We used cellular functioning assays and cell immunofluorescence assay to evaluate the role of NEAT1 and its target molecules in proliferation, invasion and migration in breast cancer. We used Western blotting to explore possible targets of NEAT1 and a subcellular fractionation assay to locate NEAT1 expression. Results: NEAT1 was overexpressed in breast cancer tissue and also closely related to advanced clinical stages and positive lymph node metastases. NEAT1 levels were also tightly correlated to prognosis for breast cancer patients in survival analyses. Cellular function assays revealed that downregulation of NEAT1 could inhibit breast cancer cell viability, invasion and migration. Western blotting revealed down-regulation of CBX7 and up-regulation of RTCB following NEAT1 inhibition. Based on the cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of NEAT1, we investigated the possible regulation of CBX7 and RTCB by NEAT1. Results showed that NEAT1 regulated the expression of CBX7 and RTCB, possibly by binding of NEAT1 to DNA in the nucleus, which facilitates cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Conclusion: The current results suggest that the lncRNA NEAT1 is upregulated in breast cancer and facilitates tumor cell viability, invasion and migration via CBX7 and RTCB. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 2020 Expression of Concern. https: doi.org 10.2147 OTT.S257418 The Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy wish to issue an Expression of Concern for the published article. Concerns have been raised that the study described in the article did not adhere to ethical guidelines as outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and the Declaration of Istanbul and guidance from the World Health Organization and the World Medical Association regarding the source of transplanted human organs. Specifically, the British Medical Journal Open (BMJ Open) published an article highlighting many papers in which there is concern that transplanted organs were harvested from executed prisoners in China. In response to these concerns we contacted the authors to clarify the source of the transplanted organs received by the patients described in their study. However, despite multiple attempts to contact the authors and their institutions, no response was received. The Editors of OncoTargets and Therapy would like to alert readers of this. We will provide an update if we receive any further information. OncoTargets and Therapy publishes research adhering to internationally accepted ethical standards and is committed to upholding the Declaration of Helsinki and Declaration of Istanbul. Dove Medical Press endorses the ethics guidelines described by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Medical Association (WMA). ,