miR-96-5p Suppresses the Progression of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Targeting CDK1 [Retraction]

Luo X, He X, Liu X, Zhong L, Hu W. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:7467–7477.

The Editor and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of tumor images from Figure 6A with the same images from another article. Specially,

• Tumor images in Figure 6A, NC, appear to have been duplicated with the same images in Figure 5A, H19 scramble, from Yang et al, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3941).

In addition, concerns were also raised regarding the alleged duplication of flow cytometry images from Figure 4A with the same images from other articles. Specifically,

• Figure 4A, Control, appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 2C, HOTAIR siRNA from Li et al, 2018 (https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20171563) and Figure 3A, LncRNA-MEG3 from Fan et al, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.4006).
• Figure 4A, pc-CDK1, appears to have been duplicated with the same image from Figure 2E, PANC-1, UCA1 scramble from Zhang et al, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14888987683152) and Figure 2G, EOMA, control from Gao et al, 2017 (https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3943).

It was also found cell colony images in Figures 5A and 5D appeared to have been duplicated. Specifically,

• Figure 5A, NC, 0 Gy appears to have been duplicated with the same image for Figure 5D, mimic, 0 DDP (µM).
• Figure 5D, mimic, 5 DDP (µM) appears to have been duplicated with the same image for Figure 5D, NC, 5 DDP (µM).
• Figure 5D, mimic, 10 DDP (µM) appears to have been duplicated with the same image for Figure 5D, NC, 5 DDP (µM).

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The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.