<p>Long Noncoding RNA SNHG7, a Molecular Sponge for microRNA-485, Promotes the Aggressive Behavior of Cervical Cancer by Regulating PAK4</p>
Authors: He Zhu
Tianmin Xu
Fei Wu
Limei Fan
Yinhuai Wang
Yujie Sui
Journal: OncoTargets and Therapy (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: P21-activated kinase 4; small nucleolar RNA host gene 7.
Affiliations: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, People's Republic of China., Medical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, People's Republic of China.

Abstract:  Purpose: A long noncoding RNA called small nucleolar RNA host gene 7 (SNHG7) is known to be a key regulator of biological processes in multiple human cancer types. In this study, our aims were to determine the expression status of SNHG7 in cervical cancer, to figure out the detailed roles of SNHG7 in cervical cancer cells, and to identify the mechanism underlying the activity of SNHG7 in cervical cancer. Methods: Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was performed to measure SNHG7 expression in cervical cancer. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow-cytometric analysis, cell migration and invasion assays, and a tumor xenograft experiment were conducted to respectively determine the effects of SNHG7 on cervical cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Results: SNHG7 was found to be markedly upregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Higher SNHG7 expression significantly correlated with FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, the depth of cervical invasion, and shorter overall survival in patients with cervical cancer. Functional experiments indicated that a SNHG7 knockdown attenuated proliferation, migration, and invasiveness and promoted apoptosis of cervical cancer cells in vitro. The SNHG7 knockdown also slowed tumor growth in vivo. Further investigation showed that SNHG7 acts as a competing endogenous RNA for microRNA-485 (miR-485) in cervical cancer cells, and the inhibitory actions of the SNHG7 knockdown on the malignant phenotype were reversed by miR-485 inhibition. P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-485 in cervical cancer, and PAK4 expression was promoted by SNHG7. Conclusion: SNHG7 functions as an oncogenic RNA in cervical cancer, competitively binds to miR-485, and thereby upregulates PAK4. This SNHG7-miR-485-PAK4 regulatory network may provide insights into the pathogenesis of cervical cancer, and can help in the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cervical cancer. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 7B.  Representative images of tumor xenografts from both groups . Rotated through 90 deg. for ease of comparison. ![file] The ruler appears to be the same as featured in *[left]* Fig 7B from [Cheng et al (2020)] .  A representative image of the [Sw1990] tumors at the end of the experiment . *[right* Fig 7B from [Wang et al (2019)] .  Representative images of [H522] tumor xenografts in the agomir-718 group and agomir-NC group . ![file] Different institutions (and provinces). How did they come to use the same ruler, with the same white fleck just to the left of cm ? , 
 Figs 2C, 4B, 5C, 6H. ![] The turquoise rectangle marks a flow-cytometry plot with a matching panel from Figs 2c, 5b,g from [Gao et al (2020)] . ![] Here in context: ![] There may be other matches, or matches with panels from other papers in this oeuvre. I did not search further. https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1X401JM6CcpTSkbKsPsOl20pRKQ-ns1S_J5pTwtBjqPw edit?usp=sharing , 
 Retracted, [3 September 2021] . --------------------- The Editor and Publisher of *OncoTargets and Therapy* wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the integrity of the tumor data presented in Figure 7B and the alleged duplication of images in Figure 2C with similar images from unrelated studies, specifically: - Figure 2C panel C-33A, si-NC appears to have been duplicated with a similar image in Figure 2C from Gao et al, 2020 . The authors responded to our queries but were unable to provide an explanation for the alleged image duplication and could not provide the original raw data for their study and have therefore agreed to retract the article. Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u201cRetractedu201d. , 
 Dead-horse flogging will continue until morale improves. Multiple overlaps. From top to bottom: - Fig 4D from  MicroRNAu2011629 inhibition suppresses the viability and invasion of nonu2011small cell lung cancer cells by directly targeting RUNX3 ([Zhuang Cheng 2019] ). - Fig 4E from  MicroRNAu2011466 inhibits the aggressive behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma by directly targeting metadherin ([Jia et al 2018] ). - Fig 6C from  MicroRNA-454 inhibits the malignant biological behaviours of gastric cancer cells by directly targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 ([Wang et al 2017] ) **[retracted]**. - **Fig 4C**. - Fig 2F from  Long noncoding RNA NR2F1-AS1 enhances the malignant properties of osteosarcoma by increasing forkhead box A1 expression via sponging of microRNA-483-3p ([Li et al 2019] ). ![file] , 
 - *[left]* Fig 3B from  MicroRNAu2011873 targets HOXA9 to inhibit the aggressive phenotype of osteosarcoma by deactivating the Wnt u03b2u2011catenin pathway ([Liu et al 2019] ). - *[middle]* Fig 5J from  Long Noncoding RNA LINC01426 Sequesters microRNA-519d-5p to Promote Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression by Increasing ETS1 Expression ([Dai et al 2020] ). - *[right]* **Fig 5D**. ![file] ,