The following article has been retracted at the request of the Executive Editor and Publisher:
Pi W-S, Cao Z-Y, Liu J-M, et al. Potential Molecular Mechanisms of AURKB in the Oncogenesis and Progression of Osteosarcoma Cells: A Label-Free Quantitative Proteomics Analysis. Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment. 2019;18. doi:10.1177/1533033819853262
The authors reached out to Sage with a request to replace an image in Figure 1C, 143B cells at 0 hours. The authors noted that due to an error, images from the same group were duplicated across the figure. An internal investigation concluded the following:
1) In Figure 1C, elements of images 143B: NC, LV/AURKB and LV/ShAURKB at 0h and 24h appear highly similar.
2) In Figure 1A, 143B the β-actin band appears to contain in-image modifications.
3) In Figure 1D, elements of image U2-OS: LV/AURKB and image 143B: LV/AURKB appear highly similar.
Sage requested the raw images for Figure 1C and 1D, and the uncropped Western Blot images for Figure 1A, 5A and 5B.
The authors provided uncropped raw images for Figures 1C and 1D but were unable to resolve the concerns about similarity across the images. The authors were unable to provide unmodified, uncropped images for Figures 1A, 5A and 5B.
Sage contacted the authors’ institution to notify them of the concerns but received no response.
Due to the unresolved concerns about image integrity that call into question the validity of the findings the Executive Editor and Sage retract the article.
The authors did not agree with the decision to retract.