A former cancer biologist at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida has retracted 19 papers from a single journal.
Jin Cheng, who studies how ovarian cancer develops, withdrew 19 papers from the Journal of Biological Chemistry originally published over the last 15 years, and corrected another. All of the retractions are for image manipulation.
For example, here’s the notice for “Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway by androgen through interaction of p85α, androgen receptor, and Src,” a paper originally published in 2003:
This article has been withdrawn by the authors. The same data were used to represent different experimental conditions. Specifically, lanes 1–3 of the H2B panel of Fig. 4Bwere reused in lanes 1–3 of the H2B panel from Fig. 6B. Lanes 1 and 6 of the phospho-Akt panel from Fig. 4C were duplicated. Lanes 3 and 4 of the lower FLAG panel in Fig. 4Cwere reused in lanes 7 and 8 of the lower FLAG panel in Fig. 5A. The PI(3,4)P2 spots from lanes 1 and 2 from Fig. 7 were reused in lanes 7 and 8 of the same panel. Additionally, some PI(4)P1 spots were pasted in. The authors state that the overall conclusions of this work are not affected.
Cheng has been awarded multiple NIH R01 grants, totaling millions of dollars, according to NIH RePORTER. A person answering the phone number listed for Cheng’s lab said he had retired. The email address listed on many of his papers bounced.
Here are the 19 retractions:
- Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway by androgen through interaction of p85α, androgen receptor, and Src, cited 125 times, according to Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, formerly part of Thomson Reuters.
- Identification of Aurora-A as a direct target of E2F3 during G2/M cell cycle progression, cited 23 times
- Akt attenuation of the serine protease activity of HtrA2/Omi through phosphorylation of serine 212, cited 30 times
- Molecular cloning and characterization of the human AKT1 promoter uncovers its up-regulation by the Src/Stat3 pathway, cited 36 times
- ArgBP2γ interacts with Akt and p21-activated kinase-1 and promotes cell survival, cited 24 times
- Akt phosphorylation and stabilization of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), cited 298 times
- AKT2 inhibition of cisplatin-induced JNK/p38 and Bax activation by phosphorylation of ASK1. IMPLICATION OF AKT2 IN CHEMORESISTANCE, cited 158 times
- Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway regulates tuberous sclerosis tumor suppressor complex by phosphorylation of tuberin, cited 289 times
- Inhibition of JNK by cellular stress- and tumor necrosis factor α-induced AKT2 through activation of the NFκB pathway in human epithelial cells, cited 37 times
- Positive feedback regulation between Akt2 and MyoD during muscle differentiation. CLONING OF Akt2 PROMOTER, cited 42 times
- MicroRNA MiR-214 regulates ovarian cancer cell stemness by targeting p53/Nanog, cited 57 times
- Identification of Akt interaction protein PHF20/TZP that transcriptionally regulates p53, cited 11 times
- IKBKE protein activates Akt independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/PDK1/mTORC2 and the pleckstrin homology domain to sustain malignant transformation, cited 52 times
- Phosphorylation and activation of androgen receptor by Aurora-A, cited 18 times
- MicroRNA-155 regulates cell survival, growth, and chemosensitivity by targeting FOXO3a in breast cancer, cited 181 times
- A small molecule inhibits Akt through direct binding to Akt and preventing Akt membrane translocation, cited 33 times
- IKKϵ phosphorylation of estrogen receptor α Ser-167 and contribution to tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer, cited 35 times
- Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt inhibits MST1-mediated pro-apoptotic signaling through phosphorylation of threonine 120, cited 49 times
- MicroRNA-221/222 negatively regulates estrogen receptor α and is associated with tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer, cited 302 times
The current issue of the JBC also includes a correction of one of Cheng’s papers, “Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNA) regulated by transforming growth factor (TGF) β. LncRNA-HIT-MEDIATED TGF-INDUCED EPITHELIAL TO MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION IN MAMMARY EPITHELIA,” a study that has been cited 17 times.
Update, 11 p.m. Eastern, 10/21/16: Moffitt gave us the following statement:
Moffitt Cancer Center adheres to the highest ethical standards in both research and clinical care. Moffitt has collaborated with the Journal of Biological Chemistry to resolve this issue, and review of this matter is ongoing. Patient care, safety or protocols were not affected in any way.
And University of South Florida Health, with whom the Moffitt is affiliated, said:
Jin Q. Cheng is not a paid USF Health faculty member. We are unaware of any investigations at USF regarding his work.
As of today he still holds a courtesy appointment with USF Health. However, USF reserves the right to address any concerns regarding courtesy appointments at its discretion.
We will look into this matter to determine if any action if necessary.
Like Retraction Watch? Consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support our growth. You can also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, add us to your RSS reader, sign up on our homepage for an email every time there’s a new post, or subscribe to our daily digest. Click here to review our Comments Policy. For a sneak peek at what we’re working on, click here.
“Cheng has been awarded multiple NIH R01 grants, totaling millions of dollars”
US tax-payers should be really angry.
The government can exercise their right to instigate a false claims case, with treble damages. However, I anticipate that this might be directed at the Institution(s). I fear that such actions may be what is needed to incentivize institutions to undertake their ORI policing responsibilities more diligently. Achieving income from grants and avoiding bad publicity is a powerful incentive not to do so. This fraud, waste and abuse has to be addressed proactively by the institutions,
This is getting exciting – he leapfrogs Sardar in the leaderboard!
what a waste!
Jin Q Cheng as penultimate author.
J Biol Chem. 2005 Apr 8;280(14):14302-9. Epub 2005 Jan 31.
Molecular and genetic studies imply Akt-mediated signaling promotes protein kinase CbetaII alternative splicing via phosphorylation of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor SRp40.
Patel NA1, Kaneko S, Apostolatos HS, Bae SS, Watson JE, Davidowitz K, Chappell DS, Birnbaum MJ, Cheng JQ, Cooper DR.
Author information
1Department of Biochemistry, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
Figure 4(b). http://i.imgur.com/w8Lmpp2.jpg
How can you identify these images?
Jin Q Cheng as middle author.
J Biol Chem. 2004 Oct 15;279(42):44113-22. Epub 2004 Aug 6.
Human intestinal epithelial cell survival and anoikis. Differentiation state-distinct regulation and roles of protein kinase B/Akt isoforms.
Geneviève Dufour‡, Marie-Josée Demers‡, David Gagné‡, Anders Bondo Dydensborg‡, Inga C. Teller‡, Véronique Bouchard‡, Isabelle Degongre‡, Jean-François Beaulieu‡§, Jin Q. Cheng¶, Naoya Fujita∥, Takashi Tsuruo∥, Karine Vallée‡ and Pierre H. Vachon‡§,**
– Author Affiliations
‡Canadian Institutes of Health Research Group on the Functional Development and Physiopathology of the Digestive Tract, Département d’Anatomie et de Biologie Cellulaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada, the ¶Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, ∥Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan, and §Thématique de Recherche en Physiopathologie Digestive du Centre de Recherches Cliniques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
Figure 6A. http://i.imgur.com/RNG82Rh.jpg
Figure 3D. http://i.imgur.com/Cc1yXBg.jpg
19+ sets of coauthors (and counting) signed their names to these papers.
19+ retractions in one go. Are these cases now coming out because detection techniques are better and people are more aware of possible misconduct? This indicates that many more older publications might have candidates for retraction.
Further, it is not only the coauthors who are questionable but also authors of the nearly 2000 papers that cite these papers.
Another Jin Q Cheng publication.
Cancer Res. 2001 Aug 15;61(16):5985-91.
Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH Kinase (PI3K)/AKT2, activated in breast cancer, regulates and is induced by estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) via interaction between ERalpha and PI3K.
Sun M1, Paciga JE, Feldman RI, Yuan Z, Coppola D, Lu YY, Shelley SA, Nicosia SV, Cheng JQ.
Author information
1Department of Pathology and Programs of Molecular Oncology and Drug Discovery, University of South Florida College of Medicine and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
Figure 1A. http://i.imgur.com/nj1ocmb.jpg
Figure 3B. http://i.imgur.com/Aj10sWO.jpg
Figure 4B. http://i.imgur.com/w2F6jY5.jpg
Oncogene. 2004 Jan 22;23(3):706-15.
Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase/AKT and survivin pathways as critical targets for geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitor-induced apoptosis.
Dan HC1, Jiang K, Coppola D, Hamilton A, Nicosia SV, Sebti SM, Cheng JQ.
Author information
1Department of Pathology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
Pubpeer comments. https://pubpeer.com/publications/AF437ED768395355FB5FE4E7F7C9B1#fb108978
Figures 2a and 2b. http://i.imgur.com/wwqC16F.jpg
Figure 4 and 5. http://i.imgur.com/PexKFAv.jpg
Figure 7d. http://i.imgur.com/yWWrvzm.jpg
Jin Q Cheng as penultimate author.
Mol Cancer. 2010 Sep 2;9:229. doi: 10.1186/1476-4598-9-229.
MiR-221 and miR-222 target PUMA to induce cell survival in glioblastoma.
Zhang CZ1, Zhang JX, Zhang AL, Shi ZD, Han L, Jia ZF, Yang WD, Wang GX, Jiang T, You YP, Pu PY, Cheng JQ, Kang CS.
For author details see: http://imgur.com/CJiCjF3
Pubpeer comments. https://pubpeer.com/publications/20813046
Figure 1B. http://i.imgur.com/mL8uhqr.jpg
Figure 2C. http://i.imgur.com/TUPRuDy.jpg
Figure 4F. http://i.imgur.com/4UWG2pN.jpg
Oncogene. 2016 Sep 1;35(35):4558-68. doi: 10.1038/onc.2015.522. Epub 2016 Jan 25.
Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) regulates miR17-92 cluster through β-catenin pathway in colorectal cancer.
Li Y1, Lauriola M1,2, Kim D1, Francesconi M3, D’Uva G2, Shibata D4, Malafa MP4, Yeatman TJ4, Coppola D5, Solmi R2, Cheng JQ1.
Author information
1Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
2Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
3EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader, Barcelona, Spain.
4Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
5Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
Pubpeer. https://pubpeer.com/publications/26804172
Figure 3. http://i.imgur.com/hB52wtX.jpg
PLoS One. 2010 Mar 9;5(3):e9616. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009616.
Regulation of proapoptotic mammalian ste20-like kinase MST2 by the IGF1-Akt pathway.
Kim D1, Shu S, Coppola MD, Kaneko S, Yuan ZQ, Cheng JQ.
Author information
1Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Pubpeer comments: https://pubpeer.com/publications/20231902
Figures 1a and 3b. http://i.imgur.com/eBtsCmi.jpg
“Further, it is not only the coauthors who are questionable but also authors of the nearly 2000 papers that cite these papers.”
That’s the really scary aspect of this fraud.
I find it interesting that “scientists” like Sarkar, Aggarwal and Cheng, who have large numbers of scientific papers under suspicion of fraud, are able to “retire” from their institutions. Why were they not fired? Maybe criminal or civil penalties will be applied later, but it seems to me that they are getting off very easily.
One obvious problem is the question of responsibility. If Cheng neither did the manipulations nor specifically asked for them, would a court consider him guilty of fraud? Possibly, but just as likely not. This makes firing a tenured professor quite difficult without other ‘good’ reasons, like necessary budget cuts or failure to reach agreed-upon milestones, since there will likely be a judicial challenge to the dismissal. And that can get mightily messy and expensive.
Very good point. I agree that the institutions may be offering an easier way out for these professors than trying to fire them.
Cancer Res. 2004 Jul 1;64(13):4394-9.
Akt/protein kinase B signaling inhibitor-2, a selective small molecule inhibitor of Akt signaling with antitumor activity in cancer cells overexpressing Akt.
Yang L1, Dan HC, Sun M, Liu Q, Sun XM, Feldman RI, Hamilton AD, Polokoff M, Nicosia SV, Herlyn M, Sebti SM, Cheng JQ.
Author information
1Department of Pathology and Interdisciplinary Oncology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/15231645
Figure 3A. http://i.imgur.com/pmPt6d1.jpg
The authors state that the overall conclusions of this work are not affected.
“The results were faked but the conclusions built on them remain valid”.
Wait, so no one knows why the retractions happened? No response from the journal?
Pubpeer comments on many, if not all, the retracted papers appeared in November 2014.
https://www.genomeweb.com/scan/take-them-away-bulk
genomeweb picking up on story.
Take Them Away in Bulk
Oct 25, 2016
A former Moffitt Cancer Center researcher has retracted 19 papers from one journal all at once, Retraction Watch reports.
The researcher, Jin Cheng, retracted the papers from the Journal of Biological Chemistry due to image manipulation, as Retraction Watch notes. As an example, one retracted paper reported that microRNA-155 targeted FOXO3a to regulate cell survival, growth, and chemosensitivity in breast cancer. While the researchers say in the retraction notice that they stand by the paper’s findings and broad conclusions, they withdrew it because “[t]he same data were used to represent different experimental conditions.” Notices on other papers gave similar explanations, Retraction Watch says.
The Moffitt Cancer Center further tells Retraction Watch that it is working with JBC and is looking into the matter. It adds that it “adheres to the highest ethical standards in both research and clinical care.”
“Further, it is not only the coauthors who are questionable but also authors of the nearly 2000 papers that cite these papers.”
What about the institutions where these studies were conducted? What about the journals themselves? Should they not be held accountable for publishing these articles? Shouldn’t the person responsible for approving the grants for all of these projects be held accountable? Where do you draw the line?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/research/researcher-left-moffitt-under-a-cloud-from-journal-articles/2300984
http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/former-moffitt-researcher-has-19-studies-retracted-journal#stream/0
time to get rid of western blot and use MRM for protein quant.
2019 expression of concern for
Int J Cancer. 2006 Nov 15;119(10):2304-12.
Aurora-A induces cell survival and chemoresistance by activation of Akt through a p53-dependent manner in ovarian cancer cells.
Yang H1, He L, Kruk P, Nicosia SV, Cheng JQ.
Author information
1
Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, 33612, USA.
2019 expression of concern notice.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.32225
First published: 27 February 2019
https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.32225
An Expression of Concern is issued in relation to the above article, published online on 7 August 2006 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) and in Volume 119, pp. 2304–2,312, by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Prof. Christoph Plass and Wiley. The Expression of Concern has been rendered due to concerns about Figure 5A and Figure 5D. Through image integrity analysis and correspondence with the authors it became clear that several, but not all, bands in these figures are cut and pasted together in such a way that comparison to other bands, particular to controls, is not valid. The authors are unable to retrieve the original data due to the time that has elapsed, but believe that the concerns do not affect the data interpretation and overall conclusion of the paper.
20 February 2024 Expression of Concern
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-024-02979-5
Editorial Expression of Concern to: Oncogene https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2015.522, published online 25 January 2016
The Editors-in-Chief would like to alert the readers that an internal investigation by the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center has identified that Fig. 3a and b appear to have the same b-actin blots (stretched horizontally in b) representing different groups. Readers are therefore advised to interpret these results with caution.
M. Lauriola, D. Kim, M. Francesconi, G. D’Uva, D. Shibata, M. P. Malafa, T. J. Yeatman, D. Coppola and R. Solmi agree to this Editorial Expression of Concern. The publisher has not been able to obtain current email addresses for Y. Li and J. Q. Cheng.
Author information
T. J. Yeatman
Present address: Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute, Spartanburg, SC, USA
These authors contributed equally: Y. Li, M. Lauriola, D. Kim
Authors and Affiliations Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
Y. Li, M. Lauriola, D. Kim & J. Q. Cheng
Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
M. Lauriola, G. D’Uva & R. Solmi
EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader, Barcelona, Spain
M. Francesconi
Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
D. Shibata, M. P. Malafa & T. J. Yeatman
Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
D. Coppola
Corresponding authors Correspondence to D. Coppola, R. Solmi or J. Q. Cheng.
23 February 2024 retraction for:
Oncogene. 2014 Oct 16;33(42):4985-96. doi: 10.1038/onc.2013.444. Epub 2013 Oct 28.
Aurora-A is a determinant of tamoxifen sensitivity through phosphorylation of ERα in breast cancer
X Q Zheng 1, J P Guo 2, H Yang 2, M Kanai 2, L L He 2, Y Y Li 2, J M Koomen 2, S Minton 3, M Gao 4, X B Ren 5, D Coppola 6, J Q Cheng 2
Affiliations
11] Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA [2] Departments of Thyroid and Neck Tumour, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China [3] Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China.
2Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
3Departments of Women’s Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
4Departments of Thyroid and Neck Tumour, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China.
5Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China.
6Departments of Women’s Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
PMID: 24166501 PMCID: PMC4002670 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.444
Retraction notice.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41388-024-02983-9
Retraction to: Oncogene https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2013.444, published online 28 October 2013
The Editors-in-Chief have retracted this article. An internal investigation by the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center of specific allegations identified the following concerns regarding the data presented in this article:
In Fig. 5B, the HA-Aurora-A panel presents a possibly erased left band;
In Fig. 5E, the HA-Aurora-A panel appears to be missing background on the left hand side of the image;
In Fig. 7B, the Aurora-A panel lanes 3–7 appear highly similar to Fig. 3F Cleaved PARP TAM/MLN;
In Fig. 7B, the ERα panel appears to originate from a gel that is labelled Akt2.
As a result of the investigation, Moffitt’s Research Integrity Program recommended retraction of the article to the Publisher.
In reviewing Moffitt’s recommendation, further checks by the Publisher have found additional issues:
In Fig. 4B and D, the Aurora-A blots appear to have some areas missing (plain rectangles);
In Fig. 7A, the areas indicated in the rectangles don’t accurately correspond to the zoomed in images;
In a number of bar graphs, the error bar ends are not equidistant from the top of the bar.
The Editors-in-Chief therefore no longer have confidence in the presented data.
J. M. Koomen agrees to this retraction. X. Q. Zheng, J. P. Guo, H. Yang, M. Kanai, L. L. He, Y. Y. Li, M. Gao, X. B. Ren and D. Coppola have not responded to any correspondence from the editor or publisher about this retraction. The publisher has not been able to obtain current email addresses for S. Minton and J. Q. Cheng.
Author information
Author notes
These authors contributed equally: X. Q. Zheng, J. P. Guo.
Authors and Affiliations
Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
X. Q. Zheng, J. P. Guo, H. Yang, M. Kanai, L. L. He, Y. Y. Li, J. M. Koomen & J. Q. Cheng
Departments of Thyroid and Neck Tumour, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
X. Q. Zheng & M. Gao
Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Oncology Key Laboratory of cancer prevention and therapy, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, PR China
X. Q. Zheng & X. B. Ren
Departments of Women’s Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
S. Minton
Departments of Women’s Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
D. Coppola
Corresponding author
Correspondence to J. Q. Cheng.