Long noncoding RNA DLX6-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-577 to promote malignant development of colorectal cancer
Authors: F Shen
L-Q Huang
Z-P Pan
K Cai
F-R Zhou
X-L Guo
J-H Cui
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2019)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: lncRNA; DLX6-AS1; colorectal cancer; tumorigenesis; proliferation
Affiliations: Department of Anorectal Surgery, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: Recent researches have proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the exact role of lncRNA DLX6-AS1 in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), and to explore the possible mechanism. Patients and methods: DLX6-AS1 expression in CRC tissues was detected by Real Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). Function assays were conducted to detect the effect of DLX6-AS1 on the proliferation and metastasis of CRC in vitro. Furthermore, luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay (RIP) were used to explore the underlying mechanism of DLX6-AS1. Results: DLX6-AS1 expression in CRC samples was significantly higher than that of adjacent tissues. Loss of DLX6-AS1 markedly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. Furthermore, luciferase reporter gene assay and RIP assay showed that DLX6-AS1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA via sponging miR-577 in CRC. Conclusions: DLX6-AS1 could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC by sponging miR-577, which might offer a potential therapeutic target for CRC. 

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. , 
 An additional concern: Figure 3A shows two panels that not only both match the 100 photos in the Stock Photo library, but that also appear to overlap with each other. Both are showing the  TW08 - Symbiosis photo. Overlap shown with red boxes. ![file] , 
 [Retracted] sometime since the last round of ERMPS retractions four weeks ago.  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 noncoding RNA DLX6-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-577 to promote malignant development of colorectal cancer, by F.-R. Zhou, Z.-P. Pan, F. Shen, L.-Q. Huang, J.-H. Cui, K. Cai, X.-L. Guo, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (9): 3742-3748u2013DOI: 10.26355 eurrev_201905_17800u2013PMID: 31115000u201d has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. ,