Li M, Cai O, Tan S. Onco Targets Ther. 2019;12:11345–11357.
At the authors request, the Editor and Publisher of Onco Targets and Therapy are retracting the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the duplication of cell invasion and migration images. Specifically,
The image for Figure 2D, Invasion, BGC823, sh-LOXL1-AS1, has been duplicated with the image for Figure 4D, Invasion, AGS, miR-142-5p.
The image for Figure 2D, Invasion, BGC823, sh-NC, has been duplicated with the image for Figure 4D, Invasion, AGS, Control.
Figure 2D, Invasion, AGS, Vector, has been duplicated with the image for Figure 4D, Migration, AGS, LOXL1-AS1+miR-142-5p.
In addition, the western blot bands in Figure 5C, AGS, PIK3CA and BGC823, PIK3CA appear to have been duplicated.
The authors could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the duplicated images and could only provide partial data for their study. As the findings could not be adequately verified the authors requested to retract the article and the Editor and Publisher agreed with this decision.
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The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.