Mol Med Rep 16: [Related article:] 1603–1611, 2017; DOI:
10.3892/mmr.2017.6759
Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn
to the Editor's attention by a reader that, regarding the Transwell
assay data shown in Fig 5, there was a slight concern that the data
panels showing the results for the migration and invasion assay
experiments for the two investigated cell lines (Hep3B and
SMMC-7721) may have respectively originated from the same photos.
Moreover, the ‘Hep3B/Migration/miR-363-3p mimics + pcDNA3.1-Sp1’
and SMMC-67721/Invasion/miR-363-3p mimics + pcDNA3.1-Sp1’ data
panels contained an area of overlapping data, such that data which
were intended to show the results from differently performed
experiments had apparently been derived from the same original
source. A subsequent analysis of the data in this paper revealed
that there were a number of internal data duplications comparing
Figs. 2C and 5 in this paper, and certain of these data had already
been submitted for publication in an article written by different
authors at different research institutes to the journal Oncology
Letters.
In view of the fact that the abovementioned data had
already been submitted for publication before this paper was
submitted to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has
decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. 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.
