BioMed Research International has retracted the article titled “Tanshinone IIA Induces Apoptosis in Human Oral Cancer KB Cells through a Mitochondria-Dependent Pathway” [1]. As noted by Amanda Capes-Davis on PubMed Commons, KB cells are cross-contaminated by HeLa and are not oral cancer cells [2]. Therefore, the conclusions cannot be supported. Tan IIA was already known to induce apoptosis in HeLa cells through a mitochondria-dependent pathway [3].
References
- 1.Tseng P.-Y., Lu W.-C., Hsieh M.-J., Chien S.-Y., Chen M.-K. Tanshinone IIA induces apoptosis in human oral cancer KB cells through a mitochondria-dependent pathway. BioMed Research International. 2014;2014:7. doi: 10.1155/2014/540516.540516 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] [Retracted]
- 2.Chen T. Modal karyotype of human leukemia cell line, K562 (ATCC CCL 243) Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics. 1985;17(1):55–60. doi: 10.1016/0165-4608(85)90101-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Zhou L., Chan W. K., Xu N., et al. Tanshinone IIA, an isolated compound from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, induces apoptosis in HeLa cells through mitotic arrest. Life Sciences. 2008;83(11-12):394–403. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2008.07.011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]