Int J Mol Med 28: 1077-1085, 2011; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2011.784

Following the publication of the above article, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that the control western blots shown in Figs. 1K and 2D on p. 1080 and 1081 respectively were the same, even though the experiments shown in these figures were reportedly different. Moreover, data featured in the flow cytometric plots in Figs. 1 and 2 were strikingly similar to data which appeared in subsequent publications by different authors at different research institutes, and moreover, in comparing the data between Figs. 1A and 2B, the 'Fig. 1A, 24 h' and 'Fig. 2B, Control' panels appeared to share certain of the same data.

After having considered the authors' request to publish a corrigendum, in view of the various issues that have come to light the Editor of International Journal of Molecular Medicine has decided that the more suitable course of action would be the retract the article from the publication, on the grounds of a lack of overall confidence in the present data. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a satisfactory reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused.