Effect of stromal cell-derived factor-1 on myocardial apoptosis and cardiac function recovery in rats with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Xuefeng Tian
Zheng Wang
Yuanyuan Liu
Songtao Gao
Hong Huo
Yan Yang
Journal: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine (2016)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Toll-like receptor; acute myocardial infarction; cardiac function; myocardial apoptosis; stromal cell-derived factor-1.
Affiliations: Department of Cardiology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150036, P.R. China.

Abstract:  The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) on myocardial apoptosis and cardiac function recovery in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the mechanism of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. A total of 64 healthy male F344 rats were randomly divided into the sham operation, model, SDF-1 intervention and SDF-1 antibody groups, with 16 rats in each group. The method of Olivette was used to establish the AMI model by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. Day 1 after establishing the animal model, the rats in the SDF-1 intervention group were injected with 10 µl recombinant SDF-1 (400 ng/ml) in five regions including the myocardial infarction area and the four surrounding areas. The rats in the model group were injected with 10 µl normal saline including the myocardial infarction area and the four surrounding areas, and those in the SDF-1 antibody group were injected with 1 ml SDF-1 antibody (2 µg/ml). Four rats were sacrificed after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after the intervention, and the analysis was carried out. TUNEL in situ labeled apoptotic cells were used for cell counting, and immunohistochemical staining was performed to measure vascular density. The animal echocardiographic measurement was for the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESd), left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) values. The results showed that the number of apoptotic cells in the SDF-1 treatment group was significantly lower than those in the other groups at each time-point. The vessel densities in the 3-14 days were significantly greater than those in other groups. At each time-point, the LVEDd and LVESd values were smaller compared with the model group, but greater than the sham operation group and decreased over time. FS and EF values were higher than those in the model group at each time-point, but less than those of the sham operation group and increased over time. The expression levels of TLR-4 and NF-κB at each time-point were significantly higher than those of the remaining groups (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, SDF-1 is capable of decreasing the apoptosis of cardiac muscle cells in AMI, promoting angiogenesis and improving cardiac function, which may be associated with the activation of the TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Haici Medical Group announced the results of an investigation on [14 October 2021](http: www.qdhaici.cn news_detail newsId=3380.html). Thanks to Google Translate for the translation. ---------------------- In order to strengthen the construction of scientific research integrity, severely punish violations, and create a good environment for scientific and technological innovation, the relevant paper issues recently investigated and dealt with by this unit are hereby notified as follows. The paper  Angelica polysaccharide alleviates oxidative response damage in HaCaT cells through up-regulation of miR-126 was published by Qu Manqing as the corresponding author and Zhang Xijun as the first author . After investigation, it was found that the data was tampered with, the research process was fabricated, and improper. Signed academic misconduct. The relevant responsible personnel shall be dealt with as follows: - 1. To the first author Zhang Xijun and the corresponding author Qu Manqing: talk about scientific research integrity and admonition; publicly report criticism in the hospital; immediately contact the magazine to withdraw the manuscript involved; cancel the five-year application or application for science and technology plan projects, science and technology awards, and science and technology talent titles Qualification; cancellation of five-year professional and technical promotion qualifications. - 2. To Xue Hong (second author), Zhou Ping (third author), Liu Li (fourth author), Yu Jing (fifth author), Dai Pengfei (sixth author): talks about scientific research integrity and admonition; inside the hospital Public notification of criticism; cancellation of one-year application or application for science and technology plan projects, science and technology awards, science and technology talent title qualifications; cancellation of one-year professional and technical job promotion qualifications. ,