Retraction:
‘At diabetes-like concentration, glucose down-regulates the placental serotonin transport system in a cell-cycle-dependent manner,’ by Unal R., Ahmed B.A., Jeffus B.C., Harney J.T., Lyle C.S., Wu Y.-K., Chambers T.C., Reece E.A. and Kilic F., Journal of Neurochemistry 101(4) 937–948, 2007 (https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04469.x). The above article, published online on 23rd January 2007 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the Journal’s Editor in Chief, Jörg B. Schulz, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article has been retracted because of inconsistencies with the presentation of some critical data and the inability of the author to provide the original data or to otherwise provide corrections for publication in a corrigendum. A detailed explanation is provided below.
The corresponding author, Dr. Fusun Kilic, notified the Journal’s Editorial Office of the following concerns related to the article that were brought to his attention:
Figures 2C and 2D are duplicates
The ‘Lysate’ and the ‘Bound’ lanes in Figure 7A are identical
The Myc-SERT bands in Figure 7B, lanes 2 and 3 are duplicates of lanes 4 and 5, and again of lanes 6 and 7
The 45 kD bands in Figure 7B, lanes 1, 2, and 3 are duplicates of lanes 5, 6, and 7
Dr. Kilic investigated the concerns and, in response to the journal, concluded that they were unjustified. Dr. Kilic disagreed that the Western bands in question were identical, pointing at mere similarities that resemble identity. Overlay of the lanes was impaired by poor image quality and unavailability of the original raw files.
The Journal’s Editorial Office undertook its own visual inspection and, in relation to Figure 7B, maintains that duplication is present. They concluded:
In Figure 7B, 45 kD, lanes 1 and 5 appear identical, as well as lane 2 and 6, and lanes 3, 4, and 7 (with lane 4 being clipped at the right-hand side)
In the Flag-SERT, lanes 2 and 6 appear identical, as well as lanes 3 and 7
In the Myc-SERT, lanes 2 and 6 appear identical, as well as lanes 3, 5, and 7. The problems are highlighted in the following screenshot of Figure 7B:
