MicroRNA-126 Inhibit Viability of Colorectal Cancer Cell by Repressing mTOR Induced Apoptosis and Autophagy [Retraction]

Wei L, Chen Z, Cheng N, et al. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:2459–2468

At the author’s request, we, the Editors and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy, have retracted the following article.

Following publication of the article, the authors raised concerns regarding the duplication of images from Figures 2, 3 and 4 with images from other unrelated articles. Specifically,

• Images for Figure 2C have been duplicated with images for Figure 2G from Huang L, Jian Z, Gao Y, et al. RPN2 promotes metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell and inhibits autophagy via STAT3 and NF-κB pathways. Aging (Albany NY). 2019;11:6674–6690. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.102167; Figure 3C from Cai C, Min S, Yan B, et al. MiR-27a promotes the autophagy and apoptosis of IL-1β treated-articular chondrocytes in osteoarthritis through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Aging (Albany NY). 2019; 11:6371–6384. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.102194 (RETRACTED) and Figure 3E from Song Z, Wang H, Zong F, Zhu C, Tao Y. MicroRNA-506 regulates apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells by targeting sirtuin 1. Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:8419–8429. https://doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S211122.
• Images for Figure 3A have been duplicated with images for Figures 4A and 6E from Liu X, Zhang P, Li Y, Zhao N, Han H. The AMPK‑mTOR axis requires increased MALAT1 expression for promoting granulosa cell proliferation in endometriosis. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2021;21:21. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9453 Figure 5A from Cai et al (2019); Figures 5A and 5B from Li M, Meng X, Li M. MiR-126 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy. Aging (Albany NY). 2020;12:12107–12118. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.103379; Figure 6A from Kumari S, Mehta SL, Li PA. Glutamate Induces Mitochondrial Dynamic Imbalance and Autophagy Activation: Preventive Effects of Selenium. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(6):e39382. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039382 and Figure 6G from Huang L et al (2019).
• Images for Figures 3B and 4B have been duplicated with images for Figures 3c and 3d from Zhou J, Zhang Y, Han Z, et al. RETRACTED ARTICLE: miR-506 contributes to malignancy of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma via targeting of P65 and LAMC1. Cell Cycle. 2019;18(3):333–345, DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1568747; Figures 2A, 4C and 4F from Ouyang L, Yi L, Li J, et al. SIRT6 overexpression induces apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by inhibiting NF-κB signaling. Onco Targets Ther. 2018;11:7613–7624. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S179866 and Figures 6a and 6b from Zhong R, Li S, Fang K, Yang L, Wang L. microRNA-1225 inhibit apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells via targeting JAK1. Cell Cycle. 2019;18(9):990–1000, DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1608127.

The authors were cooperative and explained that after becoming aware of the concerns, they evaluated the study and were unable to explain the image duplication, provide original data or verify the validity of the reported findings. As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, the authors found it necessary to retract the article and we, the Editors and Publisher, agree with this decision.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and COPE guidelines.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.