Int J Mol Med 42: [Related article:] 2343-2352, 2018; DOI:
10.3892/ijmm.2018.3842
Following the publication of this paper, it was
drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that,
regarding the cell invasion assay experiments shown in Fig. 3A, B
and C on p. 2348, two pairs of data panels were overlapping, such
that data which were intended to show the results from differently
performed experiments had apparently been derived from a smaller
number of original sources. In addition, an independent
investigation of the data in this paper undertaken by the Editorial
Office revealed that flow cytometric data in Fig. 4A were shared
with a paper that was published in the journal OncoTargets and
Therapy featuring no authors in common (which was received at
that journal one month after the submission of the above paper to
International Journal of Molecular Medicine), and flow
cytometric data in Fig. 5C were shared with a different paper also
having no authors in common that was subsequently submitted to the
journal Oncology Reports.
The authors have been contacted by the Editorial
Office to offer an explanation for the issues described above, 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 this potential
problem while the Editorial Office continues to investigate this
matter further.
