Betulinic acid downregulates expression of oxidative stress-induced lipoprotein lipase via the PKC/ERK/c-Fos pathway in RAW264.7 macrophages
Authors: Jin-Feng Shi
Yan-Yan Tang
Chao-Ke Tang
Yun-Cheng Lv
Xiang-Yu Liu
Min Zhang
Wei Xie
Ping-Ping He
Juan Peng
Gan Lan
Wei-Dong Yin
Xi-Long Zheng
Yuan Li
Chi Zhang
Journal: Biochimie (2015)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Betulinic acid; LPL; Oxidative stress.
Affiliations: Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Cooperative innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China; Yongzhou Vocational and Technical College, Yongzhou, Hunan 425000, China., Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Cooperative innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China., Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Cooperative innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China; School of Nursing, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of South, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada., Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan Province Cooperative innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns raised by Dr. Sander Kersten in PubPeer pointed out that Figures 6.1B and 6.2B of this paper were different figures but the legends and Western blots were identical; the quantification was also seen to be different between the two figures. Shortly afterwards, the authors asked to publish a corrigendum for part B of Figure 6.1, including images of western blots and associated bar plots. Subsequently, the journal conducted an investigation and found evidence that there had been improper manipulation and duplication of images in Figures 2 E, 6.2 B, 5 A and and 6.2 D, as shown by the reuse of several western blot bands with approximately 180° rotation in each case. After raising the complaint with the authors, the corresponding author agreed that the paper should be retracted. The authors apologise to the readers of the journal. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Can the authors clarify what happened in these figures. The legends and Western blots are identical but these are different figures in the paper (Figure 6.1B and 6.2B). The quantification is also different between the two figures. This paper is part of a growing number of papers by the same senior author on topics related to lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis that contain questionable data and images. ![file] ![file] ,