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Retraction

Retraction: FoxO3a Modulates Hypoxia Stress Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells

  • The PLOS One Editors

After this article [1,2] was published, concerns were raised regarding results presented in Figs 2–3 and 5–7. Specifically,

  • The following panels appear similar:
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 0h and Fig 2A TUNEL Sham in [3, retracted in 4], with cells removed.
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 2h and Fig 2A TUNEL 90 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 4h and Fig 2A TUNEL 60 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 6h and Fig 2A TUNEL 30 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 12h, Fig 3D SW480 10 µM in [5, retracted in 6], and Fig 2A TUNEL 10 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A TUNEL 24h and Fig 2A TUNEL Vehicle in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A DAPI 0h and Fig 2A DAPI Sham in [3, retracted in 4].
    • Fig 2A DAPI 2h and Fig 2A DAPI 90 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A DAPI 4h and Fig 2A DAPI 60 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A DAPI 6h, Fig 2A DAPI 12h, Fig 6A DAPI Control Crt siRNA in [7], Fig 2A DAPI 30 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally, and Fig 2A DAPI 10 mg/kg in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 2A ROS 24h, Fig 2A DAPI 24h, Fig 2A DAPI 24h in [7], Fig 2A Merge 24h in [7], and Fig 2A DAPI Vehicle in [3, retracted in 4], when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 5A β-actin and Fig 5A β-actin in [8].
    • Fig 5A pFoxO3a and Fig 5A C-caspase-3 in [8].
    • Fig 6A Normoxia DAPI HIF siRNA, Fig 6A Hypoxia DAPI HIF siRNA, Fig 6B Hypoxia DAPI HIF siRNA, and Fig 6B Hypoxia Merge HIF siRNA.
    • Fig 8B TUNEL Hypoxia Crt siRNA and A2780 10 µM in part H in a figure in [9, retracted in 10].
  • The following panels appear to partially overlap:
    • Fig 3A FoxO3a and Fig 5A β-actin.
    • Fig 3A Akt, GAPDH in a figure in [11] and Fig 5 BESA-2B NF-κB p50 (cytosolic) in [12, retracted in 13], and Fig 4 OE33 GAPDH in [14] when flipped vertically.
    • Fig 3A β-actin, Fig 5B β-actin in [8], and Fig 1 Calu-6 cells pentosidine Bcl-2 in [15, retracted in 16].
    • Fig 5A Akt and GAPDH in a figure in [11] when flipped horizontally.
    • Fig 7A FoxO3a and Fig 7A FoxO1.
    • Fig 7A BimEL and Fig 7A pFoxOa in [7].
  • There appear to be vertical discontinuities in the following panels:
    • Fig 3A FoxO3a.
    • Fig 3A HIF-1α.
    • Fig 7A FoxO3a.
    • Fig 7A BimEL.

The authors did not respond to editorial request for comment on these concerns.

In light of the above concerns which call into question the integrity and reliability of [1,2], the PLOS One Editors retract this article.

All authors either did not respond directly or could not be reached.

References

  1. 1. Zhang S, Zhao Y, Xu M, Yu L, Zhao Y, Chen J, et al. RETRACTD: FoxO3a modulates hypoxia stress induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e80342. pmid:24278276
  2. 2. Zhang S, Zhao Y, Xu M, Yu L, Zhao Y, Chen J, et al. Correction: FoxO3a Modulates Hypoxia Stress Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells. PLoS One. 2013;8(12). pmid:29161729
  3. 3. Chen C, Yao L, Cui J, Liu B. Retracted Paper - Fisetin Protects against Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Induced Neuroinflammation in Aged Mice. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2018;45(3–4):154–61. pmid:29587289
  4. 4. Chen C, Yao L, Cui J, Liu B. Retraction Statement: Paper by Cheng Chen, Li Yao, Jing Cui, and Bao Liu entitled “Fisetin Protects against Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Induced Neuroinflammation in Aged Mice”. Cerebrovascular Diseases. 2024;53(6): 794. pmid:39128458
  5. 5. Shen L-D, Qi W-H, Bai J-J, Zuo C-Y, Bai D-L, Gao W-D, et al. Resibufogenin inhibited colorectal cancer cell growth and tumorigenesis through triggering ferroptosis and ROS production mediated by GPX4 inactivation. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2021;304(2):313–22. pmid:31961485
  6. 6. Shen L-D, Qi W-H, Bai J-J, Zuo C-Y, Bai D-L, Gao W-D et al. RETRACTED: Resibufogenin inhibited colorectal cancer cell growth and tumorigenesis through triggering ferroptosis and ROS production mediated by GPX4 inactivation. Rec (Hoboken). 2021;304(12):2892. pmid:34708915
  7. 7. Peng C, Ma J, Gao X, Tian P, Li W, Zhang L. High glucose induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells are regulated by FoxO3a. PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e79739. pmid:24260294
  8. 8. Liu W, Miao Y, Zhang L, Xu X, Luan Q. MiR-211 protects cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting cell apoptosis. Bioengineered. 2020;11(1):189–200. pmid:32050841
  9. 9. Yang Y, Tsai C, Mong M, Yin M. Maslinic Acid Protected PC12 Cells Differentiated by Nerve Growth Factor against β-Amyloid-Induced Apoptosis. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(47):10243–9. pmid:26477978
  10. 10. Zou J, Wang Y, Liu M, Huang X, Zheng W, Gao Q, et al. Retracted: Euxanthone inhibits glycolysis and triggers mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by targeting hexokinase 2 in epithelial ovarian cancer. Cell Biochem Funct. 2018;36(6):303–11. pmid:29984416
  11. 11. Zou J, Wang Y, Liu M, Huang X, Zheng W, Gao Q et al. Retraction: ‘Euxanthone inhibits glycolysis and triggers mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by targeting hexokinase 2 in epithelial ovarian cancer’. Cell Biochem Funct. 2021;39(2):344. pmid:33686784
  12. 12. Tsao S-M, Yin M-C. Antioxidative and antiinflammatory activities of asiatic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, and oleanolic acid in human bronchial epithelial cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(12):3196–204. pmid:25779760
  13. 13. Tsao S-M, Yin M-C. Retraction of “Antioxidative and Antiinflammatory Activities of Asiatic Acid, Glycyrrhizic Acid, and Oleanolic Acid in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells”. J Agric Food Chem. 2017;65(15):3251. pmid:28381084
  14. 14. Lin Y-S, Hu L, Yin M-C. Apoptotic Effects of Rotundic Acid on Human Esophagus and Lung Cancer Cells. Integr Cancer Ther. 2019;18:1534735416635275. pmid:27122053
  15. 15. Hsia T-C, Yin M-C, Mong M-C. RETRACTED: Advanced Glycation End-Products Enhance Lung Cancer Cell Invasion and Migration. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(8):1289. pmid:27517907
  16. 16. International Journal of Molecular Sciences Editorial Office. RETRACTION: Hsia, T.-C., et al. Advanced Glycation End-Products Enhance Lung Cancer Cell Invasion and Migration. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17, 1289, doi:10.3390/ijms17081289. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(8):1642. pmid:28788052

Citation: The PLOS One Editors (2026) Retraction: FoxO3a Modulates Hypoxia Stress Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells. PLoS One 21(3): e0344152. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0344152

Published: March 4, 2026

Copyright: © 2026 The PLOS One Editors. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.