RETRACTED ARTICLE: MFAP2 promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells by activating TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway

This paper has been retracted.

Wang JK, Wang WJ, Cai HY, et al. OncoTargets Ther. 2018;11:4001–4017. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S160831

We, the Editors and Publisher of the journal OncoTargets and Therapy, have retracted the published article.

After publication, concerns have been raised by a third party in 2025 about the integrity of the data in Figures 4 and 5 of the article.

Further investigation conducted by the Journal and Publisher confirmed the following:

• Unexpected similarities between the transwell images shown within Figure 5A that are representative of different samples and treatments
• Unexpected similarities between the transwell images shown in Figure 4B and the data in the following previously published article from an unrelated author group:Zhou X, Xiong ZJ, Xiao SM, et al. Overexpression of MPC1 inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stem cell-like properties of gastric cancer cells. Onco Targets Ther. 2017;10:5151–5163 https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S148681
• Unexpected similarities between the Western blots in Figures 4E, 5B and 5D that are representative of different proteins and/or experimental conditions.
• Unexpected similarities between the Western blots in Figures 4E, 5B and S2A of the article with the following previously published articles from unrelated author groups:
  • Guo ZJ, Yang L, Qian F, et al. Transcription factor RUNX2 up-regulates chemokine receptor CXCR4 to promote invasive and metastatic potentials of human gastric cancer. Oncotarget. 2016;7(15):20999–21012. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.8236
  • Zhou X, Xiong ZJ, Xiao SM, et al. Overexpression of MPC1 inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stem cell-like properties of gastric cancer cells. Onco Targets Ther. 2017;10:5151–5163. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S148681
  • Wang J, Liang WJ, Min GT, Wang HP, Chen W, Yao N. LTBP2 promotes the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells and predicts poor outcome of patients with gastric cancer [retracted in: Int J Oncol. 2026;68(3):34. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5847]. Int J Oncol. 2018;52(6):1886–1898. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2018.4356

When approached for an explanation, the authors did not respond to the queries raised by the Journal and Publisher.As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article. The corresponding author listed in this publication has been informed.We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines.The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.