Circular RNA ZNF609 Promoted Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Upregulating PAP2C Expression via Sponging miR-342-3p [Retraction]

Liao X, Zhan W, Tian B, Luo Y, Gu F, Li R. OncoTargets Ther. 2020;13:7773–7783.

The Editor and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of images in Figure 5C with the same images in Figure 5C from Zhu et al, 2015 ‘bFGF-Regulating MAPKs Are Involved in High Glucose-Mediated ROS Production and Delay of Vascular Endothelial Cell Migration’ (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144495). Specifically,

• Figure 5C, HepG2, 0h, si-NC+NC inh appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 5C, 0 h, HG+sp from Zhu et al, 2015.
• Figure 5C, HepG2, 0h, si-circZNF609+NC inh appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 5C, 0 h, LG from Zhu et al, 2015.

The authors did not respond to our queries and no explanation for the alleged image duplication was provided. The Editor requested to retract the article and the authors were notified of this.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.