Yang Q, Deng L, Li J, Miao P, Liu W, Huang Q. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:10231–10244. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S243833

We, the Editors and Publisher of the journal OncoTargets and Therapy, have retracted the published article.

After publication, concerns have been raised by a third party in 2023 about the integrity of the data in Figures 1 and 6 of the article.

Further investigation conducted by the Journal and Publisher confirmed the following:

Unusual similarities between the immunohistochemistry staining images in Figures 1C and 6D which are representative of different treatment conditions. Unexpected similarities within the Western blots shown in Figure 3C. Unexpected similarities between the Western blots in Figure 2B and the Western blot data in the following previously published article from an unrelated author group:

Luo F, Zhou Z, Cai J, Du W. DUB3 Facilitates Growth and Inhibits Apoptosis Through Enhancing Expression of EZH2 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:1447–1460. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S230577

When approached for an explanation, the authors did not respond to the queries raised by the Journal and Publisher.

As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article. The corresponding author listed in this publication has been informed.

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The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.