Retracted : Downregulation of long noncoding RNA H19 rescues hippocampal neurons from apoptosis and oxidative stress by inhibiting IGF2 methylation in mice with streptozotocin‐induced diabetes mellitus
Authors: Yu-Hao Zhao
Jin-Lu Yu
Chao Li
Li-He Che
Yun-Bao Guo
Journal: Journal of Cellular Physiology (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: apoptosis; hippocampal neuron; insulin-like growth factor 2; long noncoding RNA H19; methylation
Affiliations: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China., Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China., Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Abstract:  The diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced reduction of neurogenesis in the hippocampus is consequently accompanied by cognitive decline. The present study set out to define the critical role played by long noncoding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, as well as oxidative stress (OS) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM mice through regulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) methylation. The expression of lncRNA H19 in the hippocampal neurons and surviving neurons were detected. Hippocampal neurons were cultured and transfected with oe-H19, sh-H19, oe-IGF2, or sh-IGF2, followed by detection of the expressions of IGF2 and apoptosis-related genes. Determination of the lipid peroxide and glutathione levels was conducted, while antioxidant enzyme activity was identified. The IGF2 methylation, the binding of lncRNA H19 to DNA methyltransferase, and the binding of lncRNA H19 to IGF2 promoter region were detected. DM mice exhibited high expressions of H19, as well as a decreased hippocampal neurons survival rate. Higher lncRNA H19 expression was found in DM. Upregulated lncRNA H19 significantly increased the expression of Bax and caspase-3 but decreased that of Bcl-2, thus promoting the apoptosis of hippocampal neuron. Besides, upregulation of lncRNA H19 induced OS. LncRNA H19 was observed to bind specifically to the IGF2 gene promoter region and promote IGF2 methylation by enriching DNA methyltransferase, thereby silencing IGF2 expression. Taken together, downregulated lncRNA H19 reduces IGF2 methylation and enhances its expression, thereby suppressing hippocampal neuron apoptosis and OS in STZ-induced (DM) mice. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Retracted [30 June 2021] . -------------------------------------- The above article, published online on 8 December 2018 in Wiley Online Library , has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Gregg Fields, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed because the experimental data in the article could not be reproduced in several attempts during further study of Long noncoding RNA H19 in neurological diseases. The authors state that some of the western blot analysis and RT-qPCR experiments in this study could not be reproduced by their recent work and the conclusions in this article are no longer tenable. The authors apologize for the inconvenience caused to the journal and the readers. ,