Int J Mol Med 27: [Related article:] 607-615, 2011; DOI:
10.3892/ijmm.2011.621
Following the publication of the above paper, a
concerned reader has drawn the Editor's attention to the fact that,
regarding the western blot data shown in Fig. 4A and E on p. 612,
the p-p38 blots featured in these figure parts were strikingly
similar, although the blots were rotated through 180° relative to
each other. Upon investigating the data in this paper independently
in the Editorial Office, it also came to light that β-actin control
blots featured in Fig. 1E, and p-p38 blots featured in Fig. 5I,
subsequently appeared in another paper written by the same research
group in an article published in the journal PLoS One.
Finally, control western blots appeared to have been re-used in
Fig. 4A and C, although the experimental conditions reported for
the western blots in these figure parts were different.
The authors have been contacted by the Editorial
Office to offer an explanation for these apparent anomalies in the
presentation of the data in this paper, and we are awaiting their
response. Owing to the fact that the Editorial Office has been made
aware of potential issues surrounding the scientific integrity of
this paper, we are issuing an Expression of Concern to notify
readers of these potential problems while the Editorial Office
continues to investigate this matter further.
