RETRACTED: Resveratrol induces apoptosis involving mitochondrial pathways in mouse skin tumorigenesis
Authors: Preeti Roy
Yogeshwer Shukla
Neetu Kalra
Sahdeo Prasad
Journal: Life sciences (2008)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Retraction; Falsified data; Fabricated figures; Duplicated data; Blot analysis
Affiliations: Proteomics Laboratory, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, P.O. Box 80, M.G. Marg, Lucknow-226001, India.

Abstract:  This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Multiple figures in this article appear to be falsified/fabricated, and can not be verified as the corresponding author does not have the original data. Figure 2. It appears that data has been duplicated in panels V and VI. Figure 3A. Lanes II and VI in the p53 wild band appear to be duplicated. Figure 4A. Lanes I, II, V and VI of the Beta-actin blot appear to be the same data replicated. Figure 4B. The representative blots in the Bcl-2 band, lanes V and VI are identical, as are all lanes in the Beta-actin band. Figure 5B. Lanes III and IV of the Apaf 1 band, when rotated and vertically stretched, are duplicated and appear in Figure 3D as lanes III and IV of the Cytochrome C blot in “Chemopreventive potential of resveratrol in mouse skin tumors through regulation of mitochondrial and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.” Pharmaceutical Research (2009). Doi: 10.1007/s11095-008-9723-z. Figure 5C. Lanes II and V of the Caspase 9 band appear to be duplicated. Figure 5E. The bands in lane V and VI of the Beta-actin blot are duplicated. Figure 5B and 5C. The Beta-actin lane IV band in 5B and lane IV in 5C appear to be duplicated from Figure 6B in “Hepatoprotective effects of lupeol and mango pulp extract of carcinogen induced alteration in Swiss albino mice.” Molecular Nutrition &amp; Food Research (2007). Doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200600113. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
  Fig. 2. Effect of resveratrol on DMBA-TPA induced mouse skin tumors in terms of induction of apoptosis ... (B) Apoptotic cells are visualized under a fluorescence microscope (Leica, Wetzlar, Germany) attached with CCD camera (JVC, Tokyo, Japan) for the incorporation of fluorescein 12-dUTP at the 3 -OH ends of fragmented DNA, resulting in localized green fluorescence of the apoptotic cells. ... Gr. I: untreated, Gr. II: ACE + DMBA +TPA, Gr. III: R + DMBA + TPA, Gr. IV: DMBA +R +TPA, Gr. V: ACE +R + TPA, Gr. VI: DMBA +R + TPA Notice overlap between two pairs of the six frames: ![file] Closer inspection reveals similar rectangular backgrounds around many of the green-fluorescent apopoptic cells, bounded by sharp outline, as if they are actually multiple copy-pasted inserts. , 
  Fig. 4. Effect of resveratrol on the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Western blot analysis of ... Bcl-2 (B) The reviewers and editors and readership of this journal evidently looked at Fig 4(B) and thought  Yes, that s perfectly plausible . ![file] , 
 Figure 5(E): ![file] The beta-actin band may be familiar to [aficiandos of this literature] . ![] , 
 #3 Hoya: If you run proteins in the same apparatus using same combs, you will find resemblances in bands. It happens all the time. Just do it yourself five times and compare bands, and you will know it. , 
 #4 If I kept getting bands with the same bubble in Lane 1, and the identical dust-fibre defect on the left-hand tip of Lane 4, it would be cause for concern. , 
  Fig. 3. Effect of resveratrol on the expression of p53 protein. Western blot analysis of wild type-p53 (A),... Contrast enhancement clarifies the copy-pasted lanes within the p53 band. As for the beta-actin control band, its 3rd lane - stretched vertically by 180% - seems to be the origin of the synthetic artifact shown in Fig 4(B) (see #2). ![file] Note that Figures 3 and 5 were the subject of [a 2016 Erratum] , replacing a number of control bands. Evidently neither the reviewers, nor the editors, nor intervening years of readers had previously noticed that these figures combined 6-lane bands of interest with 5-lane control bands. Anyway, the correction does not affect the present Fig 3(A) (nor 4(B), nor 5(E)). So as recently as 2016, the authors had examined these curious phenomena and still stood behind the illustrations. , 
  Fig. 5. Effect of resveratrol on the expression proteins involved in mitochondrial pathway. Western blot analysis of ... caspase 9(C) *(Original and contrast-enhanced versions)* ![file] Despite the passage of a decade, the paper remains timely: As noted, the authors re-examined this Figure for the 2016 Erratum and decided to stand by it. , 
 In the 2016 erratum, the authors decided to tie their reputations to Fig. 5:  Effect of resveratrol on the expression proteins involved in mitochondrial pathway. Western blot analysis of ... Apaf 1(B) . Please compare (after a vertical stretch and local rotation) to Fig 3(d) (Cytochrome C) from [Roy et al (2009)] : ![file] , 
 #6 Another sighting of Lane 3 from the loading control of Fig 3A! ![] It appears to have been replicated four-fold to provide a loading control in Fig 1 B of [Roy et al (2009)] . ![] , 
  Fig. 4. Effect of resveratrol on the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Western blot analysis of Bax (A) The loading control is interesting. ![file] , 
 For completeness: Figs 5C, 5B, 5A (at right) and (at left) panels from Fig 1B of [Roy et al (2009)] which have similar loading controls. ![] Here s Fig 5D, compressed vertically to emphasise the loading-control similarity to another panel from Fig 1B of Roy et al. ![] , 
 I might as well increase the contrast of the p53 wild panel of Fig 3A, to make explicit the problems with it. ![file] , 
 2019 retraction notice. https: www.sciencedirect.com science article pii S0024320519306186 This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal . This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Multiple figures in this article appear to be falsified fabricated, and cannot be verified as the corresponding author does not have the original data. Fig. 2. It appears that data has been duplicated in panels V and VI. Fig. 3A. Lanes II and VI in the p53 wild band appear to be duplicated. Fig. 4A. Lanes I, II, V and VI of the Beta-actin blot appear to be the same data replicated. Fig. 4B. The representative blots in the Bcl-2 band, lanes V and VI are identical, as are all lanes in the Beta-actin band. Fig. 5B. Lanes III and IV of the Apaf 1 band, when rotated and vertically stretched, are duplicated and appear in Fig. 3D as lanes III and IV of the Cytochrome C blot in u201cChemopreventive potential of resveratrol in mouse skin tumors through regulation of mitochondrial and PI3K AKT signaling pathways.u201d Pharmaceutical Research (2009). https: doi.org 10.1007 s11095-008-9723-z. Fig. 5C. Lanes II and V of the Caspase 9 band appear to be duplicated. Fig. 5E. The bands in lane V and VI of the Beta-actin blot are duplicated. Fig. 5B and 5C. The Beta-actin lane IV band in 5B and lane IV in 5C appear to be duplicated from Fig. 6B in u201cHepatoprotective effects of lupeol and mango pulp extract of carcinogen induced alteration in Swiss albino mice.u201d Molecular Nutrition Food Research (2007). , 
 Duplicated comment removed. ,