A 2011 paper in PLOS ONE has been retracted due to “inappropriately assembled” images. The issues, which were highlighted in a correction in TK, are attributed to the corresponding author, Paola Palozza, who has since passed away.
Here’s the notice for “Lycopene Inhibits NF-kB-Mediated IL-8 Expression and Changes Redox and PPARγ Signalling in Cigarette Smoke–Stimulated Macrophages,” which has been cited 33 times, according to Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge:
The PLOS ONE editors retract this publication according to the recommendation received from the Catholic University, Rome. Upon the publication of the Correction on the article, the PLOS ONE editors contacted the Catholic University to note the concerns identified in relation to the presentation of Western blot results from this study. The Catholic University established an investigation commission which has confirmed that several of the figures were inappropriately assembled by the corresponding author Dr. Paola Palozza and advised the retraction of the article. In line with the institution’s recommendation, PLOS ONE retracts this publication.
Palozza died in May 2013.
We contacted PLOS for more details, including the timeline of the university’s investigation. The only new information we got was that the initial correction, published in February 2013, was based on a tip from a reader:
The concerns about the figures in the article were raised to our attention by a reader. The concerns about the figures relate to the issues with the blots as outlined in the Correction that was originally issued on the article, the Correction is available here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/annotation/4993e0e2-c580-4547-90d8-3227b87e6ae9. At the time at which the Correction was processed, we contacted the Catholic University, Rome, in relation to the issues with the figures in the article. Upon their investigation the university recommended the retraction of the publication and in line with this recommendation PLOS ONE has retracted the article.
Here’s the initial correction, including ten fixes to the papers’ figures, which seem to have been altered using a wide range of methods:
Several of the figures in the published article had been generated using bands or after carrying adjustments to the original blots. The authors are issuing this Correction to provide the following corrected figures: Figure 1: Duplicate bands from the original blot were cut to generate the figure. We report the entire blot for IL-8 at 6 h and at 24 h, indicating the different concentrations of CSE in duplicate. Since the bands increased, two panels have been added instead of one (Panel A: 6 h and panel B: 24 h). The revised figure legend is as follows: ‘Figure 1. Effects of Cigarette smoke extract (CSE), alone and in combination with lycopene, on IL-8 production in human THP-1 cells. Panels A-E: intracellular IL-8 production; panel F: IL-8 production in culture medium. Panel A: effects of different CSE concentrations for 6 h, panel B: effects of different CSE concentrations for 24 h; panels C, D, E: effects of a pre- treatment for 6 h with lycopene (2 mM) followed by a 24-h CSE (0.5%) exposure; panel D: effects of a pre-treatment with different concentrations of lycopene followed by a 24-h CSE (0.5%) exposure; Panels A, B, C, D: representative Western Blot analyses; the values indicated represented the ratio of IL-8 and actin. Panel E: mRNA levels by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Panel F: Chemiluminescence Immunometric Assay. In the different panels, the values were the means ± SEM of three independent experiments. Values not sharing the same letter were significantly different (P<0.05, Fisher’s test).’ Figure 2D. In the published figure, the bands for the different raw blots (p-IKKa, p-IKba, IKba and actin) had been cut and pasted to align the bands in the figure, we attach the original blot. Figures 2C, 3C, 5B, 5D and 6D. The published figures were processed to eliminate background, we report the original blots. Figure 5C. In the published figure the actin bands were rotated, we present the corrected figure.
We’ve also contacted Catholic University for more information regarding the investigation, and will update with any response.
Hat tip: Rolf Degen
I am disappointed that PLOS ONE did not decide to pull the paper immediately but let the authors get away (at least temporarily) with a mega-correction.
Evidently it’s not the first paper from Palozza to receive some attention:
https://pubpeer.com/search?q=Palozza
Those Pubpeer observations are to the point. There is a certain amount of “image recycling” in Palozza’s publications.
Dead men tell no tales.
Nor do women, apparently.
On the same (rather unfortunate) subject, reports are emerging that Yoshiki Sasai of STAP cell fame is dead, apparently suicide (early reports on Twitter, not confirmed yet)
Carcinogenesis. 2010 Oct;31(10):1813-21. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgq157. Epub 2010 Aug 10.
Lycopene induces cell growth inhibition by altering mevalonate pathway and Ras signaling in cancer cell lines.
Palozza P1, Colangelo M, Simone R, Catalano A, Boninsegna A, Lanza P, Monego G, Ranelletti FO.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Catholic University School of Medicine, L. Go F. Vito, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Pubpeer:https://pubpeer.com/publications/58CE49561AE387514706FB96C0AE5F#fb64803
Figure 1.
http://i.imgur.com/cZxjfSC.jpg
Figure 2.
http://i.imgur.com/nSU5SRy.jpg
Carcinogenesis. 2012 Jan;33(1):164-73. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgr240. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
DHA induces apoptosis and differentiation in human melanoma cells in vitro: involvement of HuR-mediated COX-2 mRNA stabilization and β-catenin nuclear translocation.
Serini S1, Fasano E, Piccioni E, Monego G, Cittadini AR, Celleno L, Ranelletti FO, Calviello G.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito, 1 – 00168 Rome, Italy.
Figure 3C.
http://imgur.com/bSbuyPU
Dead woman is not author on this paper.
2012 correction does not address figure 3C.
http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/33/3/722.full
Pubpeer: https://pubpeer.com/publications/0F25A84767E5349DE0B7BC49C207EB#fb64882
Carcinogenesis. 2007 Jun;28(6):1202-9. Epub 2006 Dec 20.
Docosahexaenoic acid induces proteasome-dependent degradation of beta-catenin, down-regulation of survivin and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells not expressing COX-2.
Calviello G1, Resci F, Serini S, Piccioni E, Toesca A, Boninsegna A, Monego G, Ranelletti FO, Palozza P.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Institute of Human Anatomy, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Figure 5B.
http://i.imgur.com/SUgcnTI.jpg
Figure 6C.
http://i.imgur.com/7EBI2zp.jpg
Pubpeer:
Carcinogenesis. 2004 Dec;25(12):2303-10. Epub 2004 Sep 9.
n-3 PUFAs reduce VEGF expression in human colon cancer cells modulating the COX-2/PGE2 induced ERK-1 and -2 and HIF-1alpha induction pathway.
Calviello G1, Di Nicuolo F, Gragnoli S, Piccioni E, Serini S, Maggiano N, Tringali G, Navarra P, Ranelletti FO, Palozza P.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Catholic University, L.go F. Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Figure 3.
http://i.imgur.com/Qig2c6D.jpg
Figure 4.
http://i.imgur.com/POXUwID.jpg
Pubpeer: https://pubpeer.com/publications/26E196ECD4700B35EC14AC32B5FE80#fb65113
Carcinogenesis. 2004 Aug;25(8):1315-25. Epub 2004 Apr 8.
beta-Carotene exacerbates DNA oxidative damage and modifies p53-related pathways of cell proliferation and apoptosis in cultured cells exposed to tobacco smoke condensate.
Palozza P1, Serini S, Di Nicuolo F, Boninsegna A, Torsello A, Maggiano N, Ranelletti FO, Wolf FI, Calviello G, Cittadini A.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Figure 3.
http://i.imgur.com/NPoNhrU.jpg
Figure 4.
http://i.imgur.com/FCeiZCc.jpg
Pubpeer:https://pubpeer.com/publications/755C8F54D4F2A6D829A0F478D05215#fb65224
J Nutr. 2005 Jan;135(1):129-36.
beta-Carotene downregulates the steady-state and heregulin-alpha-induced COX-2 pathways in colon cancer cells.
Palozza P1, Serini S, Maggiano N, Tringali G, Navarra P, Ranelletti FO, Calviello G.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Figure 1.
http://i.imgur.com/z71KaCW.jpg
Figure 5.
http://i.imgur.com/DAbtg3R.jpg
Pubpeer:https://pubpeer.com/publications/47D5AF89EC824404F1C3B549468F83#fb65285
J Nutr. 2003 Feb;133(2):381-8.
Beta-carotene regulates NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity by a redox mechanism in human leukemia and colon adenocarcinoma cells.
Palozza P1, Serini S, Torsello A, Di Nicuolo F, Piccioni E, Ubaldi V, Pioli C, Wolf FI, Calviello G.
Author information
1Institute of General Pathology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Figure 3.
http://i.imgur.com/d0Wz8pe.jpg
Figure 7.
http://i.imgur.com/q2EjXwD.jpg
Cross-over events between figure 2 Carcinogenesis 31:1813 (2010) and Figure 3 J Nutr 133:381 (2003).
http://i.imgur.com/yPVjFFQ.jpg
Pubpeer: https://pubpeer.com/publications/45A5097A6AADB3399EBDEADE53C289#fb68247
Wasn’t this the plot of “The Affair” by C. P. Snow?