Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miR-19b-3p
Authors: Mingfeng Fan
Yueqing Wang
Shubo Gao
Journal: Journal of cellular biochemistry (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Retraction; Circular RNA; circMTO1; Antitumor factor; Rectal cancer
Affiliations: Department of Anorectal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China., Department of Anorectal Branch, Jining Hospital of TCM, Jining, Shandong, China.

Abstract:  Retraction: 'Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miR-19b-3p', by Mingfeng Fan, Yueqing Wang, Shubo Gao, J Cell Biochem. The above article, published online on 30 December 2019 on Wiley Online Library, has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal's Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The authors asked to retract this manuscript and stated that not all co-authors agreed on the publication, initially, but were not available for further comments during the investigation. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. The authors stated that not all co-authors agree on the publication. Raw data could not be provided and thus the overall validity of the results could not be confirmed. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 The Western immunoblots have identical background. ![file] ![file] ![file] , 
 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 , 
 Recently retracted. No date provided.  Retraction: Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miRu201019bu20103p , by Mingfeng Fan, Yueqing Wang, Shubo Gao, J Cell Biochem. https: doi.org 10.1002 jcb.29570:  The above article, published online on 30 December 2019 on Wiley Online Library , has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The authors asked to retract this manuscript and stated that not all cou2010authors agreed on the publication, initially, but were not available for further comments during the investigation.  The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. The authors stated that not all cou2010authors agree on the publication. Raw data could not be provided and thus the overall validity of the results could not be confirmed. , 
 A [report from the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College] reads as follows (thanks, Google Translate): ------------------------ 3.  Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miR-19b-3p , which was written by Gao Shubo of the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College as the corresponding author. After investigation, the paper  Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miR-19b-3p in the paper  Circular RNA circMTO1 acts as an antitumor factor in rectal cancer cell lines by downregulation of miR-19b-3p by Gao Shubo of the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College as the corresponding author and Fan Mingfeng as the first author has ghostwriting and investment, Thesis fraud problem. The Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College will deal with the relevant responsible persons as follows: 1. Gao Shubo, the corresponding author, was (1) ordered to make an in-depth inspection; (2) ordered to withdraw the manuscript of the paper involved; (3) to cancel the five-year application for scientific and technological plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), scientific and technological awards, and titles of scientific and technological talents, etc. Eligibility, from March 2, 2020 to March 1, 2025; (4) Cancellation of the five-year postgraduate tutor application and appointment qualifications from March 2, 2020 to March 1, 2025 ; (5) Cancellation of three-year professional title promotion qualifications from March 2, 2020 to March 1, 2023; (6) Criticism is reported in the hospital. 2. The first author, Fan Mingfeng, will be (1) ordered to make an in-depth inspection; (2) the five-year application for scientific and technological plan projects (special projects, funds, etc.), scientific and technological awards, and the title of scientific and technological talents will be cancelled from March 2, 2020. From March 1, 2025; (3) Cancellation of five-year postgraduate tutor application and appointment qualifications from March 2, 2020 to March 1, 2025; (4) Cancellation of three-year professional title promotion qualifications , from March 2, 2020 to March 1, 2023; (5) Criticism is reported in the hospital. ,