Oncol Rep 34: [Related article:] 227–234, 2015; DOI:
10.3892/or.2015.3994
Following the publication of the above paper, it was
drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that the
β-actin blots for the MGC-803 cell line in Fig. 4A were strikingly
similar to the blots on the right-hand side of the gel intended to
show the caspase-9 experiments in Fig. 7A; moreover, the blots
shown for caspase-3 for the MGC-803 cell line in Fig. 4A were
remarkably similar to blots that subsequently appeared in another
article featuring one of the named authors (Tao Sun) in the same
journal about a year later. In addition, a number of duplicated
blots were noted comparing the flow cytometric plots in Figs. 3 and
6, including one blot which subsequently reappeared in a paper
published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports that was
written by different authors.
The authors were contacted by the Editorial Office to
offer an explanation for the apparent duplications of data both
within the paper, and the subsequently published ones. 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.
