Long non-coding RNA AB073614 promotes metastasis of gastric cancer cells by upregulating IGF-2
Authors: H-Y Zhou
X-C Lu
X-M Yao
J Wu
X-D Chen
X-Y Wu
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2020)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA; AB073614; gastric cancer; metastasis; mechanism
Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Wujiang Hospital of Nantong University, Suzhou, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely studied for their vital roles in human diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of lncRNA AB073614 on the metastasis of gastric cancer (GC), and explored the possible underlying mechanism. Patients and methods: AB073614 expression in GC tissue samples was detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The roles of AB073614 in GC metastasis were identified through wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. Moreover, RT-qPCR and Western blot assay were used to explore the potential mechanism. Results: AB073614 expression level in GC samples was significantly higher than that of adjacent ones. Besides, the migration and invasion of GC cells were obviously repressed after AB073614 was knocked down. After AB073614 was knocked down in vitro, the mRNA and protein expressions of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) was remarkably down-regulated. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between the expression level of IGF-2 and AB073614 in GC tissues. Conclusions: AB073614 could promote GC cell migration and invasion via up-regulating IGF-2. Our findings might provide a potential therapeutic target for GC patients. 

Retracted: No

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 21857 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, u201cLong non-coding RNA AB073614 promotes metastasis of gastric cancer cells by upregulating IGF-2, by X.-Y. Wu, H.-Y. Zhou, X.-M. Yao, X.-D. Chen, J. Wu, X.-C. Lu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (1): 145-150u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_202001_19905u2013PMID: 31957827u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,