Circ_0017247 accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Y-B Wang
K-B Chen
C-H Li
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2019)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: Circular RNAs; NSCLC; circ_0017247; biomarkers; targets
Affiliations: Department of Thoracic Surgery, The 960th PLA Hospital, Jinan, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: Recently, the vital role of circular RNAs is discovered in many diseases, including tumor progression. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most ordinary malignant tumors. The purpose of our study is to detect the potential function of circ_0017247 in NSCLC to offer new biomarkers and targets. Patients and methods: The level of circ_0017247 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines was monitored by Rea Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). Pearson's Chi-square test was used to determine the association between circ_0017247 expression and several clinicopathological factors. Then, circ_0017247 was knocked down in NSCLC cells to uncover its function in metastasis of NSCLC. Cell migrated and invaded ability was measured through transwell assay, Matrigel assay, and wound healing assay. The Western blot assay was performed to analyze the effect of circ_0017247 on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Results: In the research, the expression level of circ_0017247 was significantly increased in NSCLC tissues compared with that in the adjacent samples. Circ_0017247 expression was associated with lymphatic metastasis. The expression of circ_0017247 was also increased in NSCLC cell lines. Downregulation of circ_0017247 led to the inhibition of cell migration and invasion in NSCLC. In addition, results of further experiments revealed that the EMT-related proteins were regulated via the knockdown of circ_0017247 in NSCLC. Conclusions: Circ_0017247 could enhance cell migration and invasion of NSCLC by inducing EMT process. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This paper is one of a set of 121 papers that all contain images from the same library of about 100 photos and plots. This is unexpected, because each paper has different authors and different affiliations, with little to no overlap, and describes different cancer types and molecules. It would be very hard to explain how authors from different labs would all obtain the same photo. Therefore, the papers might have all be derived from the same source, such as a paper mill that sells ready-to-be-published papers. This  Stock Photo paper set has been described in more detail on my blog post, https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 07 05 the-stock-photo-paper-mill and in a Wall Street Journal article by Eva Xiao (currently behind a paywall): https: www.wsj.com articles chinese-research-papers-raise-doubts-fueling-global-questions-about-scientific-integrity-11593939600 The vast majority (113 121) of the papers were published in the same journal, European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences (ERMPS). A link to the full set of papers can be found here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 172RWS18w1lTNJ9Nnj80fuXXTqTm4fGkoK0sdYyvKE3g edit?usp=sharing All papers have been reported to the journal editors on July 2, 2020. , 
 The publishers have wished the paper into the cornfield: https: www.europeanreview.org article 21868 Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, u201cCirc_0017247 accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer, by C.-H. Li, Y.-B. Wang, K.-B. Chen, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (3 Suppl): 256-263u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201908_18655u2013PMID: 31389600u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,