A researcher whose work has come under repeated scrutiny has retracted a 2008 paper for “errors that occurred in the construction” of various figures.
Carlo Croce, the corresponding author of the newly retracted paper, has been dogged by misconduct accusations for years — as recently described in the New York Times. His employer, The Ohio State University, has recently re-opened an investigation into his work. Seven of his papers have now been retracted, and fourteen have been corrected for image and text issues such as manipulation, duplication, and errors, as well as two others earning expressions of concern.
Here’s the retraction notice for “Fhit Interaction with Ferredoxin Reductase Triggers Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Apoptosis of Cancer Cells,” in the Journal of Biological Chemistry:
This article has been withdrawn by the authors because of errors that occurred in the construction of Figs. 1D, 3C, 5C, and 5H, and supplemental Fig. 1A have been brought to their attention. The authors state that the errors do not affect the conclusions of the article, which have been confirmed in subsequent articles.
The paper has been cited 50 times, according to Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science.
Croce did not respond to a request for comment.
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Another Carlo Croce Fhit paper.
Oncogene. 2006 May 11;25(20):2860-72.
Fhit modulation of the Akt-survivin pathway in lung cancer cells: Fhit-tyrosine 114 (Y114) is essential.
Semba S1, Trapasso F, Fabbri M, McCorkell KA, Volinia S, Druck T, Iliopoulos D, Pekarsky Y, Ishii H, Garrison PN, Barnes LD, Croce CM, Huebner K.
Author information
1
Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, USA.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/DCE5512C156A3C82EF17B5DB7F88A9#9
Figure 1b. http://imgur.com/Ig4EYme
Figures 1b, 2b and 3b. http://imgur.com/GZFjL5O
Fhit paper by penultimate author of Oncogene. 2006 May 11;25(20):2860-72, also now at OSU. https://cancer.osu.edu/research-and-education/find-a-researcher/search-researcher-directory/f-kay-huebner
Cancer Res. 2005 Oct 1;65(19):8613-6.
Fhit and CHK1 have opposing effects on homologous recombination repair.
Baocheng Hu,1,2 Hongyan Wang,2
Xiang Wang,2
Hua-Rui Lu,2
Cuifen Huang,1
Simon N. Powell,3
Kay Huebner,4
and Ya Wang2
1
Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China; 2
Department of Radiation Oncology and Kimmel Cancer Center of Jefferson Medical
College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 3
Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/8E0171A08C96EB7E1A87CD8DBAB867#4
Figure 3A. http://imgur.com/yMAYSjT
Another Fhit paper. Senior author is also at OSU, as is penultimate author.
https://medicine.osu.edu/cancer-biology-genetics/directory/medical-genetics/vecchione-andrea/Pages/index.aspx
Cancer Lett. 2010 May 28;291(2):230-6. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2009.10.017.
Fhit loss in lung preneoplasia: relation to DNA damage response checkpoint activation.
Cirombella R1, Montrone G, Stoppacciaro A, Giglio S, Volinia S, Graziano P, Huebner K, Vecchione A.
Author information
1
Division of Pathology, II University of Rome La Sapienza, Ospedale Santo Andrea, Rome, Italy.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/499D4D40914B863806C7A6E10B34AE
Figure 1(there was only 1 figure). http://imgur.com/mlxcMcZ
A 2015 correction has been published for this paper.
http://www.cancerletters.info/article/S0304-3835(15)00570-4/fulltext
Due to mistakes in the assembly of Fig. 1, noted several years after publication of this report, the original Fig. 1 should be replaced by the revised Fig. 1 (below). New photographs were taken from the original slides to compose this revised figure. The correction to this figure does not change the conclusion of the paper.
Why doesn’t the U.S. government (NIH and ORI are only branches of the government) ask for the money back plus penalties?
http://www.jbc.org/content/283/20/13736
In the footnotes to original article you can see “This work was supported, in whole or in part, by National Institutes of Health Grants CA77738 and CA78890. “
Interestingly, some state grant agencies in Europe (see FWF Austria) have him on the board to judge candidates for their most recognized award, Wittgenstein award. Jury members are listed here: https://www.fwf.ac.at/en/about-the-fwf/organisation/start-wittgenstein-jury/
2019 expression of concern for PLoS One. 2008;3(12):e4070.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0213701
PLoS One. 2008;3(12):e4070. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004070. Epub 2008 Dec 30.
9 comments on PubPeer (by: Unregistered Submission, Peer 1, Eriobotrya Bengalensis, Bulbophyllum Melleum)
Akt regulates drug-induced cell death through Bcl-w downregulation.
Garofalo M1, Quintavalle C, Zanca C, De Rienzo A, Romano G, Acunzo M, Puca L, Incoronato M, Croce CM, Condorelli G.
Author information
1
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathology, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.