<i>Retracted</i> : Long noncoding RNA ZBED3‐AS1 induces the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and enhances bone regeneration by repressing IL‐1β via Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Heyan Sun
Zhenwei Li
Kongzu Hu
Zongsheng Yin
Wei Jiang
Genxiang Rong
Journal: Journal of Cellular Physiology (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: IL-1β; Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; bone regeneration; long noncoding RNA ZBED3-AS1; mesenchymal stem cell.
Affiliations: Department of Orthopaedics The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei Anhui P. R. China

Abstract:  Bone regeneration, as a physiological process of bone formation, is regulated by multiple cytokines. Long noncoding RNAs are involved in the progress of bone formation. The present study investigated role by which ZBED3-AS1 acts to control the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and bone regeneration. Bioinformatics prediction and dual luciferase reporter gene assay identified putative ZBED3-AS1 binding sites on the 3'-untranslated region of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Then, RNA immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that ZBED3-AS1 could regulate the expression of IL-1β by binding to the transcription factor CREB. Notably, ZBED3-AS1 was shown to negatively regulate IL-1β expression. After model establishment in rats simulating bone injury, MSCs were isolated and delivered with ZBED3-AS1, Si-ZBED3-AS1, Si-IL-1β, or DKK (inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway) to identify their roles in osteogenic differentiation by evaluating MSC colony formation and proliferation. Then, number of mineralized nodules, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin (OCN) expression, and expression of osteogenesis-related genes were determined. Overexpression of ZBED3-AS1 or silencing of IL-1β was shown to accelerate ectopic osteogenesis, as reflected by increasing the number of mineralized nodules, ALP activity, and OCN expression, and promoting MSC colony formation and proliferation. Additionally, ZBED3-AS1 activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by negatively regulating IL-1β. IL-1β inhibited osteogenic differentiation by suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, the effect of ZBED3-AS1 and IL-1β on osteogenic differentiation was confirmed in vivo. Taken together, upregulation of ZBED3-AS1 could restore differentiation of MSCs and enhance bone regeneration via activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by repressing IL-1β. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Here is a montage of curious Western Blots I collected, representing a distinct style. They are marked by high contrast and an absence of any background texture, and resemble ink blobs. They are not always sharp-edged; sometimes the ink appears to have spread, creating filaments. When there are double bands (ERK 1 2, JNK 1 2, LC3 I II, the sub-bands are somehow decoupled: differing in overall profile and in the width of the protein blobs, and with horizontal displacements, almost falling into different lanes. The papers that contain them tend to be problematic in other ways (some have been retracted). Their manifestations began in 2019 papers, and stopped in 2020 as if their use became deprecated. ![] Sources include - [He et al (2020)] - [Chang et al (2020)] - [Shang et al (2020)] - [Shi et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Xu et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Jia et al (2020)] - [Feng et al (2019)] Examples could be multiplied but I will settle for three more examples, to show the range of this gamut, from - [Qu et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Song et al (2019)] *[RETRACTED]* - [Shi et al (2019)] . ![file] ---------------------------------------------- Here are the present Figs 5b and 7b,  the protein bands of osteogenesisu2010related genes (COL1, BMP2, FGF2, IGF1, and OPG) examined by western blot assay ... protein bands of Wnt3a, u03b2u2010catenin, and ILu20101u03b2 examined by western blot assay . They appear to be manifestations of the same style. Is it possible for the authors to upload or link to scans of the original blots, to allay any concerns? ![file] , 
 Retracted [16 March 2022] . --------------------- The above article, published online on 28 March 2019 in Wiley Online Library https: onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 jcp.28416), 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 after the authors stated that unintentional errors occurred during the research process, and the experimental results cannot be verified. Thus, the conclusions are considered to be invalid. ,