Involvement of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and insulin-like growth factor-I in YXLST-mediated neuroprotection
Authors: Delia Wolf
Wei Cao
Feng Li
Jun Wang
Xin Yan
Marian Zaharia
Hua Shen
Garrick D Lee
Journal: Brain Research (2004)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: neuroprotective role; external Qi; YXLST; retinal neurons; cell viability
Affiliations: American New Medicine Institute, New York, NY 10107, USA.

Abstract:  In the present study, we examine the neuroprotective role of the external Qi of YXLST in cultured retinal neurons. Primary retinal neuronal cultures were grown from retinas of 0-2-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Cultures were treated directly with external Qi of YXLST 30 min prior to H(2)O(2) exposure in most experiments. Cell viability was measured by 3,(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptotic cell death was evaluated by the TdT-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP nick-end labeling TUNEL assay, and by DNA laddering analysis. Northern blot analysis was performed to examine the level of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene expression. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) assay was performed to study the PI3K activity. The results showed that treatment of external Qi of YXLST significantly attenuated neuronal death that was induced by 24-h exposure to hydrogen peroxide, and greatly inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis. External Qi of YXLST also upregulated IGF-I gene expression and increased PI3K activity. These observations indicate that external Qi-mediated IGF-I expression and PI3K signaling could be one of the mechanisms in neuroprotection by YXLST. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 I have serious concerns about this paper. In this paper, a method called  External Qi is described as a way to protect cultured retinal neurons. The method itself appears to consist of the first author, Xin Yan, performing some type of force on cells in a closed room with nobody else present. There is no scientific description of what he does to the cells, so the methods are not reproducible. This paper is being cited in a string of follow-up papers by the same author(s) in which this mysterious method is being used to kill cancer cells of different types, and the method is suggested as a valid way to treat cancers. This study, co-authored by researchers from Harvard and NIH, and partially funded with NIH money, does not appear to describe a scientific and reproducible method, and should not have passed peer review. ![file] , 
 Have the authors ruled out the possible confounding effects of the activities of the Tooth Fairy? , 
 See https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2019 05 24 external-qi and https: retractionwatch.com 2021 04 26 journal-retracts-paper-by-miracle-doctor-claiming-life-force-kills-cancer-cells for some concerns. Copy pasted from https: link.springer.com article 10.1007 s11010-021-04163-9 :  The Editor has retracted this article [1] due to concerns about the scientific validity and reproducibility of the findings. Post-publication peer review has concluded that there is no information on or plausible molecular mechanism which explains what the External Qi of Yan Xin Qigong is, how it is produced, and how it could be reproduced by others. All authors disagree with this retraction. Could the authors comment on the statements in the above listed retraction note? , 
 https: twitter.com MicrobiomDigest status 1398000844793024512 ,