Retracted Article: PVT1 knockdown alleviates vancomycin-induced acute kidney injury by targeting miR-124 via inactivation of NF-κB signaling
Authors: Jun Shi
Huicong Li
Xiaoguang Zhu
Fang Chen
Journal: RSC Advances (2018)
Discipline: CHEMISTRY
Keywords: Acute kidney injury; Vancomycin; Long noncoding RNA; PVT1; NF-κB signaling
Affiliations: Department of Nephrology, Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng, China

Abstract:  Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious threat for human health and life. High dose of vancomycin (VAN) can give rise to AKI. The roles and molecular basis of long noncoding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) in VAN-induced AKI have been poorly defined till now. Protein levels of p65, phosphorylated p65 (p-p65), NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), phosphorylated IκBα (p-IκBα), Bcl-2 and Bax were measured by western blot assay. RNA levels of PVT1 and microRNA-124 (miR-124) were determined by RT-qPCR assay. HK-2 cell apoptosis was detected by an Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection assay. Kidney functions were assessed by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level, serum creatinine (Scr) level, histopathologic analysis, and TUNEL assay. Bioinformatical analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RIP and RNA pull down assays were performed to explore whether PVT1 could interact with miR-124. PVT1 was highly expressed in VAN-induced AKI models. Functional analysis revealed that PVT1 knockdown ameliorated VAN-induced AKI in vivo. Further exploration manifested that PVT1 directly interacted with miR-124. Moreover, the silencing of PVT1 abated VAN-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis in vitro, while this effect was reversed by the miR-124 inhibitor. Also, VAN treatment resulted in the reduction of miR-124 expression and the activation of NF-κB signaling in HK-2 cells. The inhibition of NF-κB alleviated VAN-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis. PVT1 activated NF-κB signaling by targeting miR-124 in VAN-induced HK-2 cells. PVT1 knockdown lessened VAN-induced AKI by targeting miR-124 via inactivating the NF-κB signaling, elucidating the critical roles and molecular basis of PVT1 in VAN-induced AKI and highlighting the diagnostic and therapeutic values of PVT1 in AKI. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Retracted on [7 January 2021] , as one of about 70 papers recognised as the products of a papermill or papermills. Perhaps a post-mortem will be helpful for recognising the work of the same papermill(s) elsewhere. ------------------------------------------ Retraction of u2018PVT1 knockdown alleviates vancomycin-induced acute kidney injury by targeting miR-124 via inactivation of NF-u03baB signalingu2019 by Xiaoguang Zhu et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 31725u201331734, DOI: 10.1039 C8RA05724A. The Royal Society of Chemistry hereby wholly retracts this RSC Advances article due to concerns with the reliability of the data. The images in the article were screened by an image integrity expert who identified instances of image duplication and raised concerns with the integrity of the western blot panels. In Fig. 1C, part of the image in the u20181 dayu2019 panel is duplicated in the u20183 dayu2019 panel. In Fig. 1D, the u20180, 1 day and 3 dayu2019 panels show different sections of the same image. In Fig. 2E, the si-NC panel is a direct continuation of the image shown for si-PVT1, therefore both images show the same sample. In the western blot image in Fig. 5D (u03b2-actin panel), the last 2 bands are mirror images of the first 2 bands, indicating that this panel was manipulated. In the western blot panel in Fig. 7B, there is evidence of manipulation in the p-p65, p65 and u03b2-actin panels indicating that bands may have been inserted into the figure. The authors were asked to provide the raw data for this article, but did not respond. Given the significance of the concerns about the validity of the data, and the lack of raw data, the findings presented in this paper are not reliable. The authors have been informed but have not responded to any correspondence regarding the retraction. Signed: Laura Fisher, Executive Editor, RSC Advances ---------------------------------------- As the Editor notes, there are overlaps between panels of Figs 1C and 1D: ![file] ... and a narrow overlap between the panels of Fig 2E. ![file] I suggest, though, that the putative flow-cytometry plots of Figs 4B,E; Fig 5C; Fig 6B may be more generally diagnostic than relying on the papermillers to make stupid avoidable mistakes with microphotograph panels. *[left]* Fig 5C. *[right]* Fig 1C from [Li, Liu Wu (2018)] , retracted in the same tranche. ![file] These appear to have been drawn by drawing the horizontal and vertical axes within each panel, then hand-stippling dots within each quadrant, producing dot distributions that **avoid the axes**. These are not natural distributions. Several other retracted papers from the tranche contain similarly artificial images, and presumably came from the same papermill. ,