Over-expression of JAZF1 promotes cardiac microvascular endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis via activation of the Akt signaling pathway in rats with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion
Authors: Li-Yan Zhang
Zhi-Yong Gao
Jie Shang
Chun-Yu Wang
Journal: Cell Cycle (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Akt signaling pathway; JAZF1; angiogenesis; apoptosis; cardiac microvascular endothelial cell
Affiliations: Department of Electrocardiogram, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, P. R. China, Department of Rehabilitation, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, P. R. China, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Longkou Nanshan Health Valley Tumor Hospital, Longkou, P.R. China

Abstract:  Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is caused by endothelial dysfunction and enhanced oxidative stress. The overexpression of JAZF1, a zinc finger protein, has been reported to promote cell proliferation and suppress myogenic differentiation in type 2 diabetes. However, the involvement of JAZF1 in myocardial I/R injury remains to be unclear. The current study aims to investigate the role by which JAZF1 influences cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) in a rat model of myocardial I/R injury. A total of 50 rats were established as a myocardial I/R model to isolate CMECs, with alterations in JAZF1 expression. After that, the gain- or loss-function of JAZF1 on the proliferation, apoptosis and tube formation ability of CMECs were evaluated by a series of in vitro experiments. Results indicated that JAZF1 was down-regulated in CMECs of rats with myocardial I/R injury. After treatment with JAZF1, the levels of VEGF, Bcl-2, PDGF and p-Akt/Akt were all increased; however, the expression of Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, p-Bad/Bad, c-caspase-3/caspase-3, c-caspase-9/caspase-9, and p-FKHR/FKHR exhibited decreased levels; CMEC proliferation and angiogenesis were increased, while cell apoptosis was attenuated. CMECs transfected with JAZF1 shRNA exhibited the contrary tendencies. The key findings of this study suggest that the over-expression of JAZF1 alleviates myocardial I/R injury by enhancing proliferation and angiogenesis of CMECs and in turn inhibiting apoptosis of CMECs via the activation of the Akt signaling pathway. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 6a,  cell cycle mapping in each group . These flow-cytometry histograms appear to have been left out in the sun until they went all soft and droopy and overhanging. Or they were drawn by someone with only a vague idea of what they are supposed to look like. ![file] , 
 Fig 4d. ![file] The image suggests that the authors managed to resolve FKHR and its phosphorylated form as physically-separated bands, with quite different profiles and even lane widths. They also found the cleaved and total forms of Caspase-3 as adjacent bands - almost overlapping, despite the differences in molecular weight - although their profiles and lane widths diverge. The same for cleaved and total Caspase-9. While Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 (unmodified by a c- or t-) are completely different bands. What am I missing? , 
 Here is a montage of curious Western Blots I collected, representing a distinct style. They are marked by high contrast and an absence of any background texture, and resemble ink blobs. They are not always sharp-edged; sometimes the ink appears to have spread, creating filaments. When there are double bands (ERK 1 2, JNK 1 2, LC3 I II, the sub-bands are somehow decoupled: differing in overall profile and in the width of the protein blobs, and with horizontal displacements, almost falling into different lanes. The papers that contain them tend to be problematic in other ways (some have been retracted). Their manifestations began in 2019 papers, and stopped in 2020 as if their use became deprecated. ![] Sources include - [He et al (2020)] - [Chang et al (2020)] - [Shang et al (2020)] - [Shi et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Xu et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Jia et al (2020)] - [Feng et al (2019)] Examples could be multiplied but I will settle for three more examples, to show the range of this gamut, from - [Qu et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Song et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Shi et al (2019)] . ![file] ---------------------------------------------- For comparison, Fig 4d again, now accompanied by 4b, pb, 3c. They appear to be manifestations of the same style. Is it possible for the authors to upload or link to scans of the original blots, to allay any concerns? ![file] ,