MicroRNA-29 targets FGF2 and inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: D-J Zha
K Liang
C-C Hao
G-L Tian
M Shi
M Xu
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2020)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: MicroRNA-29; FGF2; proliferation; migration; invasion
Affiliations: Department of Radiation Oncology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.

Abstract:  The article "MicroRNA-29 targets FGF2 and inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, by M. Xu, G.-L. Tian, C.-C. Hao, M. Shi, D.-J. Zha, K. Liang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (12): 5215-5222. DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201906_18186. PMID: 31298371" has been withdrawn from the authors. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/18186. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Four of the five figures in this paper contain implausible meatball hairball FACS scatterplots. Here, Figs 1D and 2F. The two panels purporting to show  expressions of apoptosis-related proteins in PC-12 cells ... in presence of H2O2 are clearly different, with no relationship between the cigar-shape point-clouds in Q4.  Yet the Q3 hairballs are substantially the same (though each has a few unique points stippled around the outside). Juxtaposed:  , 
 #1 More implausible overlaps emerge (between and within figures) when we add Fig 3F to the mix - here at lower right.  Juxtaposed. Arguably the  H2O2 + shNC panels in Figs 2F and 3F are simply repeats of the same plot, but the quadrant percentages are different.  I note in passing that there is no way to reconcile the sparse stippling of points in quadrants Q1 and Q2 with the claimed percentages. For instance, Q1 and Q2 of the Fig 3F Control panel contain 7 and 3 points respectively, which supposedly comprise 0.67% and 0.42% of the total number of cells. I don t think so. , 
 Finally, Figs 3F and 5E.  Zooming in on one pair:  , 
 At left: Fig 2 (D, E)  Cell ... migration and invasion after transfection with sh-ANRIL#1 or sh-ANRIL#2 in presence of H2O2 treatment . At right: Fig 3 (D, E)  Cell ... migration and invasion after cotransfection with sh-ANRIL#2 and miR-499a inhibitor in presence of H2O2 treatment A minor point, but I am not sure of the propriety of presenting the same image as a Control for a Migration **and** an Invasion assay.  , 
 *[right]* Fig 1 (B and C); Fig 2 (D and E); Fig 3 (D and E); Fig 5 (C and D). *[left]* Fig 2 (C and D); Fig 4 (C and D); Fig 6 (D and E). From [Jiang et al (2019)] .  I have not marked all pairs of panels featuring in both papers. Just enough to convince myself that both papers were assembled by a single studio and illustrated with random images from a small collection. , 
 #2 Readers may also appreciate the appearance of the same FACSimiles in [Jiang et al] . In one recycled panel, all four quadrants are identical and the only difference is in the made-up percentages.  , 
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Expression of Concern published on Mar. 17, 2020 https: www.tandfonline.com doi full 10.1080 21691401.2020.1741860 We, the Publisher and Editor of Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, are issuing an Expression of Concern for the following article: Article title: Overexpression of lncRNA ANRIL aggravated hydrogen peroxide-disposed injury in PC-12 cells via inhibiting miR-499a PDCD4 axis-mediated PI3K Akt mTOR p70S6K pathway Authors: Zhiliang Guo, Lanlan Li, Yu Gao, Xiaoyun Zhang and Min Cheng Journal: Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology Bibliometrics: Volume 47, Number 01, pages 2624u20132633 DOI: https: doi.org 10.1080 21691401.2019.1629953 After publication of this article, questions about the scientific integrity of the article content were brought to the Publisher and Editoru2019s attention. We have reached out to the authors requesting that they supply information that would confirm the articleu2019s integrity, but the authors have not responded to our queries within the requested timeframe. Therefore, as we continue to work through the issues raised, we advise readers to interpret the information presented in the article with due caution. , 
 Retracted [22nd May 2020] .  Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors checked their data and confirmed there are fundamental errors present. Therefore, they have agreed to the retraction of this article. The authors apologise for this oversight. ,