Mol Med Rep 42: [Related article:] 2422–2430, 2018; DOI:
10.3892/mmr.2017.8116
Following the publication of this article, a
concerned reader drew to the Editor's attention that, for several
of the figures showing the results of Transwell migration and
invasion assay experiments, unexpected areas of similarity were
identified in terms of cellular patterns comparing among data
panels where the results from differently performed experiments
were intended to have been shown, although the areas immediately
surrounding these areas often featured comparatively different
distributions of cells. Moreover, several of the figures contained
invasion/migration assay data that were strikingly similar to data
that had appeared in articles published previously by different
authors at different research institutes. In addition, the western
blots in this article were presented with atypical, unusually
shaped and possibly anomalous protein bands in many cases.
After having conducted an internal investigation, the
Editor of Molecular Medicine Reports has reached the
conclusion that the potentially anomalous data in this paper were
unlikely to have arisen by coincidence. Therefore, on the grounds
of a lack of confidence in the integrity of these data, and given
the fact that some of the data were strikingly similar to that
which had been published previously in other articles and journals,
the Editor has decided that the article should be retracted from
the publication. The authors were asked for an explanation to
account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not
receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any
inconvenience caused, and thanks the concerned reader for drawing
this matter to our attention.
