<p>LncRNA LOC105372579 promotes proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma via activating miR-4316/FOXP4 signaling</p>
Authors: Changyong E
Hang Li
Jinghui Yang
Chunsheng Li
Journal: Cancer Management and Research (2019)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: EMT; HCC; LOC105372579; progression; proliferation.
Affiliations: Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, People's Republic of China., Department of Cerebral Surgery, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun 130000, People's Republic of China., Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, People's Republic of China.

Abstract:  Background: Recently, a growing number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to be important for human cancer development. However, how lncRNA regulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression still remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate the function of LOC105372579 in HCC progression. Materials and methods: The expression levels of lncRNA LOC105372579 in HCC tissues and cell lines were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The effects of LOC105372579 silencing on proliferation, migration and invasion were determined by using cell counting kit-8, colony formation assay and Transwell assay. Moreover, the xenograft mouse model was used to detect how LOC105372579 regulates HCC growth in vivo. Results: LOC105372579 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, upregulated levels of LOC105372579 predicted poor prognosis. LOC105372579 silencing suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro. We also validated that LOC105372579 knockdown inhibited the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HCC cells. Xenograft assay demonstrated that LOC105372579 promotes tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified that LOC105372579 is a sponge for miR-4316 and that FOXP4 is a direct target of miR-4316. Conclusion: Thus, our findings supported that LOC105372579 contributes to HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT by activating miR-4316/FOXP4 signaling. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 *[left]* Fig 1F.  Overall survival rate was analyzed using the Kaplanu2013Meier curve based on **LOC105372579 expression** . *[right]* Fig 1f from [Yang et al (2019)] .  Overall survival was determined according to **CACNA1Gu2010AS1 expression** in HCC tissues. ![file] Both papers have the same authors, and involve the same 54 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma recruited from China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. So it is possible that the two novel LncRNAs are very highly correlated (though their distributions are different in the two papers Figures 1D). It seems surprising, though, that neither paper mentions the other. , 
 *[left]* Fig 1A.  Heatmap of differentially expressed lncRNAs in HCC tissues and normal controls according to a GEO dataset (GSE113850). LOC105372579 corresponds to probe ID: IVGNh09365. *[right]* Fig 1a from [Yang et al (2019)] .  Bioinformatics analysis of aberrantly expressed lncRNAs in HCC tissues according to GSE113850. CACNA1Gu2010AS1 corresponds to probe ID: IVGNh30858. ![file] This probe-based heatmap throws up any number of candidate lncRNAs. Did the authors investigate any others? The possibility arises that multiple comparisons have affected the significance of the present results. UPDATE:  Silencing of a novel lncRNA LOC105369748 suppresses the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by sponging miRu20105095 from MBD2 ([E et al 2019] ) use the same 54-patient sample and the same heatmap, with the probes in a different order. Does the vertical sequence of probes mean anything, or is it arbitrary? ![] ,