Retracted Article: LncRNA MALAT1 aggravates MPP-induced neuronal injury by regulating miR-212 in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: Dahua Yuan
Suyue Pan
Lingmei Peng
Zhenpeng Duan
Nan Ding
Qun Wang
Pu Du
Journal: RSC Advances (2019)
Discipline: CHEMISTRY
Keywords: Parkinson's disease; Long noncoding RNAs; lncRNA; MALAT1; SH-SY5Y cells
Affiliations: Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan

Abstract:  Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and its incidence is rising. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to have essential roles in development of PD. LncRNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is dysregulated in PD, while the role of MALAT1 and its mechanism in PD remain poorly understood. In this study, SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) to induce a PD model in vitro. Then we explored the effect of MALAT1 on cell viability, apoptosis and inflammatory response as well as its interaction with miR-212 in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. The results showed that MALAT1 was up-regulated in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells compared with that in the normal group. Overexpression of MALAT1 exacerbated MPP+-induced neuronal injury, uncovered by inhibition of cell viability and increase of cell apoptosis as well as inflammatory cytokine expressions in SH-SY5Y cells. However, knockdown of MALAT1 exerted the opposite effect in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, MALAT1 was bound to miR-212 and negatively regulated the miR-212 level. Furthermore, addition of miR-212 ablated the regulatory effect of MALAT1 on MPP+-induced neuronal injury, as indicated by restoration of cell viability and lower apoptotic rate along with inflammatory cytokine levels in SH-SY5Y cells. Therefore, we concluded that MALAT1 exacerbated MPP+-induced neuronal injury through regulating cell viability, apoptosis and inflammatory cytokines by sponging miR-212, providing a novel theoretical foundation for application of MALAT1 in PD. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This is one of about 70 papers retracted from RSC advances. On [19 January 2021] , ------------------------------ The Royal Society of Chemistry hereby wholly retracts this RSC Advances article due to concerns with the reliability of the data. The paper was analysed by experts who fact-checked the identities of the described nucleotide sequence reagents,1 and found errors with the following nucleotide sequence reagents reported in the article: miR-212 forward and reverse primers. The miR-212 primers would not be expected to target and amplify miR-212, and therefore the results in Fig. 4 are unreliable. Given the significance of the concerns about the validity of the data, the findings presented in this paper are not reliable. The authors state that there was a partial lack of rigour in the study and agree to retract the article in order not to mislead readers. Signed: Laura Fisher, Executive Editor, RSC Advances. --------------------------------------- In addition to the miR-212 primers, Fig 2D also deserves attention:  Cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry in SH-SY5Y cells transfected with pcDNA, MALAT1, si-NC or si-MALAT1 after treatment with MPP+ . ![file] Are these really plausible as flow-cytometry distributions? Are there any dithering algorithms which arrange points as shown in the 4th panel (for instance)? In the Methods section we learn that  The positive cells were examined using a flow cytometer (BD Biosciences, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) , but BD Biosciences sell a whole range of flow cytometers, so this is not really much help. See also Fig 2H of [Shang, Du Cao (2018)] , another paper from this tranche of retractions. ![] , 
 Also of interest: the email address linked to the corresponding author here (zcehn79@163.com) turns elsewhere as the e-address of a **different individual**, author of  [Role and mechanism of Galectin-3 gene in proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma](http: www.hxkqyxzz.net CN 10.7518 hxkq.2018.04.011#1) (in West China Journal of Stomatology). ,