Knockdown long non-coding RNA ANRIL inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells by down-regulation of miR-191
Authors: Ting Wang
Chunhua Bi
Qingxi Zhao
Deyu Huang
Cheng Bian
Hua Liu
Xueli Ding
Hui Wang
Journal: BMC Cancer (2018)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: ANRIL; Hepatocellular carcinoma; NF-κB; Wnt/β-catenin; microRNA-191.
Affiliations: Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China., Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No.16, Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China., Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No.16, Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China. .

Abstract:  Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high fatality rate. Recent studies reported that up-regulation of long non-coding RNA antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (lncRNA ANRIL) was found in HCC tissues, and which could affect HCC cells biological processes. However, the potential molecular mechanism of ANRIL in HCC is still unclear. The study aimed to uncover the effect of ANRIL on HepG2 cells growth, migration and invasion. Methods: The knockdown expression vectors of ANRIL were transfected into HepG2 cells, and qRT-PCR, CCK-8, flow cytometry, Transwell and western blot assays were performed to analyze the effect of ANRIL on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. The relative expression of miR-191 was then examined in ANRIL knockdown vector transfected cells. These experiments were repeated again for exploring the effect of miR-191 on HepG2 cells. NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways were examined by using western blot assay. Results: Knockdown of ANRIL inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, meanwhile suppressed migration and invasion of HepG2 cells. Additionally, the results showed that the expression level of miR-191 was down-regulated by ANRIL knockdown in HepG2 cells. Importantly, overexpression of miR-191 reversed the anti-tumor effect of ANRIL on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in HepG2 cells. Besides, we found that ANRIL knockdown inactivated NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways by regulating miR-191. Conclusions: These data demonstrated that ANRIL knockdown suppressed proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells by down-regulating miR-191 and inactivating NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 2  a Transwell assay was performed to analyze cell migration in these transfected cells. ... d Cell invasion . ![file] Boxes indicate panels also used, with different identifications, in fig 3E from [Yi et al. (2019)] ... ![file] and figs 4D E... ![file] and 3I J of [Feng et al (2018)] ... ![file] These are only a few of the appearances of these popular images in various papers with non-overlapping authorship lists but the same actual workshop source. E.g. [Lv et al (2019)] and [Sun et al. (2019)] . , 
 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 , 
 http: www.most.gov.cn zxgz kycxjs kycxgzdt 202201 t20220127_179206.html Google Translated Date: January 27, 2022 14:44 Source: Ministry of Science and Technology u3000u30001. The paper  Knockdown long non-coding RNA ANRIL inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells by down-regulation of miR-191 , the corresponding author of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Liu Hua and Huang Deyu as the first author. After investigation, the paper was found to be fraudulent. Liu Hua and Huang Deyu will be dealt with as follows: demerit for 1 year, cancel application or application for science and technology projects (special projects, funds, etc.), science and technology awards, and qualifications for science and technology talent titles for 5 years, cancel as nominees or recommenders, nominees or recommenders Qualifications such as evaluation experts for 5 years, recorded in the file of scientific research integrity and dishonesty, given scientific research integrity admonitions, cancel participation in this year s evaluation, and the annual evaluation shall not be determined as qualified or above. (Notification link: https: kjc.qdu.edu.cn info 1023 3176.htm) ,