RETRACTED: Involvement of NORAD/miR-608/STAT3 axis in carcinostasis effects of physcion 8-O-β-giucopyranoside on ovarian cancer cells (Publication with Expression of Concern. See vol. 48, pg. 748, 2020) (Retracted article. See vol. 49, pg. 163, 2021)

We planned to dig the carcinostasis activity of physcion 8-O-beta-glucopyranoside (PG) in ovarian cancer cells and explored whether long non-coding RNA NORAD was the potential cause of the carcinostasis impact of PG. The impacts of PG on the tumour cell behaviours (including cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion) of SKOV3 cells were grabbed. The levels of NORAD in cancer tissues and cell lines were determined; afterwards, the impacts of abnormal expression of NORAD on the tumour cell behaviours of SKOV3 cells were assessed. Moreover, we explored whether NORAD modulated the level of STAT3 by competitively sponging miR-608, thus mediating the antineoplastic effects of PG on ovarian cancer cells. PG suppressed cell viability, enhanced apoptosis and lessened migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells. NORAD was upregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cells. Silencing of NORAD lessened cell viability, migration and invasion, but induced apoptosis of SKOV3 cells, whereas overexpression of NORAD had opposite effects. Moreover, PG decreased the expression of NORAD. Overexpression of NORAD reversed the effects of PG treatment on the cell biological performances of SKOV3 cells, which were further reversed after overexpression of miR-608 simultaneously. Furthermore, STAT3 was tested as a target gene of miR-608, and the impact of NORAD in PG-treated SKOV3 cells were through the miR-608-mediated STAT3. Our findings reveal that NORAD/miR-608/STAT3 axis is pivotal in mediating the antineoplastic impacts of PG on ovarian cancer cells, which may offer a novel explanation in the therapy of ovarian cancer.