RETRACTED: Interleukin-36 receptor antagonist is associated with the progression of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Dong Sun
Zhen Wang
Xiaoqin Zou
Kuangkuang Zhu
Ruixia Liu
Journal: International Immunopharmacology (2020)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: IL-36RN; Interleukin 36 receptor antagonist; RCC; Renal cell carcinoma.
Affiliations: Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, Jiangsu, PR China., Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. This article has similarities to seven other papers that have been published. They have similar Kaplan-Meier curves, and tables and table values. These similar graphics and tables apply to different disease states, target mediators and numbers of patients in different studies. After the comments of Dr Elisabeth Bik https://pubpeer.com/publications/39A1613F4546DA16064BA441B29A0F regarding this article, the journal requested the author to provide the raw data. However, the author did not respond. Dr Elisabeth Bik is acknowledged for pointing out the irregularities in these papers. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 This paper is part of a set of at least 8 papers that have similar Kaplan-Meier curves, table values, line graphs, and some Western blots. These papers are from different authors, different hospitals, and describe different patients groups, different cancers, and different proteins. The 8 papers are: * Kuangkuang Zhu et al., International Immunopharmacology 84 (2020) 106474, doi: 10.1016 j.intimp.2020.106474 Interleukin-36 receptor antagonist is associated with the progression of renal cell carcinoma * Mingfei Sun et al. Cell Physiol Biochem 2018;51:1839-1851. doi: 10.1159 000495706 Interleukin-35 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is Associated with Tumor Progression * Mingzhi Cai et al. J Cell Mol Med. 2018;22:4721u20134731, doi: 10.1111 jcmm.13716 Epigenetic silenced miR-125a-5p could be self-activated through targeting Suv39H1 in gastric cancer * Hongxu Liu et al. Open Biol. (2018) 8: 180118, doi: 10.1098 rsob.180118 Reduced miR-125a-5p level in non-small- cell lung cancer is associated with tumour progression * Feng Wang et al. Open Biol. (2018) 8: 180132. doi: 10.1098 rsob.180132 Reduced interleukin-38 in non-small cell lung cancer is associated with tumour progression * Xiaofei Yan et al. Oncotarget, 2017, Vol. 8, (No. 30), pp: 49064-49075, doi: 10.18632 oncotarget.17093 Interleukin-37 mediates the antitumor activity in colon cancer through u03b2-catenin suppression * Xiuli Wang et al. Oncotarget, 2017, Vol. 8, (No. 58), pp: 98918-98930, doi: 10.18632 oncotarget.22041 Reduced m6A mRNA methylation is correlated with the progression of human cervical cancer * Jian Zhang et al. Oncotarget, 2017, Vol. 8, (No. 42), pp: 71563-71573, doi: 10.18632 oncotarget.17751 Interleukin-35 expression is associated with colon cancer progression As an example, here are the Kaplan curves from all 8 papers. Some have a middle black line that is not present in all 8, but the red and green curves have a surprisingly similar shape. ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] , 
 As another example of the similarities between these eight papers, here are the tables representing the Univariate and Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Colored boxes highlight rows with identical or very similar numbers found across these papers. ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] , 
 Retracted [4 March 2021] . ------------------------------------ This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. This article has similarities to seven other papers that have been published. They have similar Kaplan-Meier curves, and tables and table values. These similar graphics and tables apply to different disease states, target mediators and numbers of patients in different studies. After the comments of Dr Elisabeth Bik https: pubpeer.com publications 39A1613F4546DA16064BA441B29A0F regarding this article, the journal requested the author to provide the raw data. However, the author did not respond. Dr. Elisabeth Bik is acknowledged for pointing out the irregularities in these papers. ,