Abstract
The Editor-in-Chief of DNA and Cell Biology officially retracts the article entitled, “TGFβ1-Induced LncRNA UCA1 Upregulation Promotes Gastric Cancer Invasion and Migration,” by Zhong-Kun Zuo, Yi Gong, Xiang-Heng Chen, Fei Ye, Zheng-Ming Yin, Qian-Ni Gong, and Jiang-Sheng Huang (DNA Cell Biol 36(2):159–167; doi: 10.1089/dna.2016.3553) after discovering alerts on the PubPeer platform1 regarding multiple image duplications between Figures 2 and 4.
The journal publisher independently confirmed the suspected duplications.
The corresponding author of the paper, Dr. Jiang-Sheng Huang and all co-authors were contacted for an explanation. While the corresponding author did not respond, the lead author, Dr. Zhong-Kun Zuo, did with the following message:
“First of all, please allow me to express my sincere apologies on behalf of the team for our inexact and irresponsible behavior in scientific research. Regarding the errors in the figures, I believe they were caused by misoperation [sic] during the data collection and image layout.
The error in Figure 2 was due to misuse of images while conducting the layout, resulting in the usage of the same images from the same folder in two different groups; the error in Figure 4 might be because while taking photos in the central lab, we both copied the same folder by mistake.
We fully understand the necessity of providing the complete raw data, and we are willing to make up for our mistakes following the Editor's requirements. However, please understand that our experiment was carried out between 2014 and 2016, and, due to the aging and damage of the hard disk of the central lab computer, part of the raw data has not been recovered until now. Please allow us to continue with the data recovery from the hard disk; we guarantee to provide complete raw data within three working days.
Again, I sincerely apologize for our mistakes and the inconvenience caused to your work. We would appreciate it if you could understand and allow the delay.”
The Editor-in-Chief of the journal found this explanation to be unacceptable but granted a very brief two-day extension as a matter of professional courtesy. However, upon receipt of the purported recovered data, the Editor-in-Chief determined that the article requires a full retraction due to the inaccuracies and unreliability of the work.
DNA and Cell Biology
is committed to upholding the rigors of scientific publishing and the veracity of the literature.
Reference
1. Indigofera tanganyikensis. PubPeer.
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