Alfredo Fusco, a researcher in Italy who has faced criminal charges for research misconduct for more than five years, has had six more papers retracted, for a total of 21.
The latest six retractions are all from Cancer Research. An example, for “Haploinsufficiency of the Hmga1 Gene Causes Cardiac Hypertrophy and Myelo-Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Mice,” a paper first published in 2006:
This article (1) has been retracted at the request of the editors. The editors were made aware of concerns regarding potential manipulation of data in the article. An internal review by the editors determined that multiple tubulin Western blot bands appear to be duplicated in Figs. 3A and 6D. The authors were not able to provide the original data to dispel these concerns.
A copy of this Retraction Notice was sent to the last known e-mail addresses for 15 of the 16 authors. Three authors (M. Fedele, S. Battista, and A. Fusco) did not agree to the retraction; two authors (A. Curcio and C. Indolfi) take no position; 10 authors (F. Pentimalli, A.J.P. Klein-Szanto, R. Visone, I. De Martino, C. Morisco, L. Del Vecchio, G. Baldassarre, C. Arra, G. Viglietto, and C.M. Croce) did not respond; the remaining author (V. Fidanza) could not be located.
The papers have been cited from 26 to 76 times, according to Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science.
In September, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), which publishes Cancer Research, apologized for being “delayed in correcting the scientific record.” That apology, which came in an publisher’s note accompanying a number of retractions, continued:
It will take several months to publish various types of corrections related to a number of older cases on which we are working.
Researchers in Italy have been frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation into Fusco’s work, Nature reported last year.
Fusco did not respond to a request for comment from Retraction Watch.
One of the six retracted papers includes Carlo Croce as an author. It is the ninth retraction for Croce, who was recently forced to step down as chair of his department at The Ohio State University following years of allegations of misconduct.
With the new retraction total, Fusco is now tied for 29th place on our leaderboard of authors with the most retractions in the world.
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Br J Cancer. 2005 Aug 22;93(4):464-71.
UbcH10 overexpression may represent a marker of anaplastic thyroid carcinomas.
Pallante P1, Berlingieri MT, Troncone G, Kruhoffer M, Orntoft TF, Viglietto G, Caleo A, Migliaccio I, Decaussin-Petrucci M, Santoro M, Palombini L, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare c/o Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
Figure 6A.
See: https://imgur.com/IK7sa1D
Oncogene. 2005 Oct 13;24(45):6809-19.
HMGA1 protein expression sensitizes cells to cisplatin-induced cell death.
Baldassarre G1, Belletti B, Battista S, Nicoloso MS, Pentimalli F, Fedele M, Croce CM, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Figure 1.
See: https://imgur.com/gOwuk62
Oncogene. 2004 Aug 12;23(36):6056-63.
Disease associated mutations at valine 804 in the RET receptor tyrosine kinase confer resistance to selective kinase inhibitors.
Carlomagno F1, Guida T, Anaganti S, Vecchio G, Fusco A, Ryan AJ, Billaud M, Santoro M.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, University ‘Federico II’, c/o Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, via S. Pansini 5, Napoli, Italia.
Figure 4b. See: https://imgur.com/Ze4qapI
Mol Biol Cell. 2004 Mar;15(3):1224-32. Epub 2003 Dec 10.
Phosphorylation of high-mobility group protein A2 by Nek2 kinase during the first meiotic division in mouse spermatocytes.
Di Agostino S1, Fedele M, Chieffi P, Fusco A, Rossi P, Geremia R, Sette C.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Biologia Cellulare, University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” 00133 Rome, Italy.
Figure 2A.
https://imgur.com/u7Q7j82
When people win prizes it would be useful to screen their publications for problematic data.
Eur J Endocrinol. 2006 Nov;155(5):645-53.
RET/PTC activation in papillary thyroid carcinoma: European Journal of Endocrinology Prize Lecture.
Santoro M1, Melillo RM, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR ‘G. Salvatore’, c/o Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, University ‘Federico II’, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
RET activation and clinicopathologic features in poorly differentiated thyroid tumors
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2002) – 9 Comments
pubmed: 11788678 doi: 10.1210/jcem.87.1.8174 issn: 0021-972X issn: 1945-7197
Massimo Santoro author has email , Mauro Papotti , Gennaro Chiappetta , Ginesa Garcia-Rostan , Marco Volante , Chaline Johnson , Robert L. Camp , Francesca Pentimalli , Carmen Monaco , Agustin Herrero , Maria Luisa Carcangiu , Alfredo Fusco , Giovanni Tallini.
Affiliations
Centro di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
See:-
https://pubpeer.com/publications/BB727DB41872C9C231C1E25F9C24BD#2
https://pubpeer.com/publications/BB727DB41872C9C231C1E25F9C24BD#8
Problematic data two 2007 Alredo Fusco papers.
1. Oncogene. 2007 Mar 29;26(14):2136-40. Epub 2006 Oct 2. and
2. Eur J Cancer. 2007 Dec;43(18):2729-35. Epub 2007 Oct 22.
See: https://imgur.com/Hv2kXNC
Which is correct?
One paper is about ovarian cancer, the other is about breast cancer. The samples will be different, yet a western blot is the same.
It cannot represent two sets of samples.
1. Oncogene. 2007 Mar 29;26(14):2136-40. Epub 2006 Oct 2.
UbcH10 expression may be a useful tool in the prognosis of ovarian carcinomas.
Berlingieri MT1, Pallante P, Guida M, Nappi C, Masciullo V, Scambia G, Ferraro A, Leone V, Sboner A, Barbareschi M, Ferro A, Troncone G, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare c/o Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy.
2. Eur J Cancer. 2007 Dec;43(18):2729-35. Epub 2007 Oct 22.
UbcH10 is overexpressed in malignant breast carcinomas.
Berlingieri MT1, Pallante P, Sboner A, Barbareschi M, Bianco M, Ferraro A, Mansueto G, Borbone E, Guerriero E, Troncone G, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare c/o Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via S.Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Endocr Relat Cancer. 2007 Sep;14(3):875-86.
The Mia/Cd-rap gene expression is downregulated by the high-mobility group A proteins in mouse pituitary adenomas.
De Martino I1, Visone R, Palmieri D, Cappabianca P, Chieffi P, Forzati F, Barbieri A, Kruhoffer M, Lombardi G, Fusco A, Fedele M.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare and Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, University of Naples Federico II, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Figure 3C. https://pubpeer.com/publications/31233BFDC53C1FD565FED3EF8A8938#2
Figure 4B.
https://imgur.com/zAtvabk
Endocr Relat Cancer. 2007 Jun;14(2):405-20.
Overexpression of the S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 in thyroid cancer.
Chiappetta G1, De Marco C, Quintiero A, Califano D, Gherardi S, Malanga D, Scrima M, Montero-Conde C, Cito L, Monaco M, Motti ML, Pasquinelli R, Agosti V, Robledo M, Fusco A, Viglietto G.
Author information
1
Laboratorio Oncologia Sperimentale III, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, via M. Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
Figure 4C.
See: https://pubpeer.com/publications/7F222824CEABCD87E12008A00F6D19#7
Oncogene. 2011 Jan 20;30(3):275-86. doi: 10.1038/onc.2010.416. Epub 2010 Oct 18.
1 comment on PubPeer (by: Peer 1)
Upregulation of miR-21 by Ras in vivo and its role in tumor growth.
Frezzetti D1, De Menna M, Zoppoli P, Guerra C, Ferraro A, Bello AM, De Luca P, Calabrese C, Fusco A, Ceccarelli M, Zollo M, Barbacid M, Di Lauro R, De Vita G.
Author information
1
IRGS Biogem s.c.ar.l., Ariano Irpino, Italy.
Figure 2b.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/BA411EEF627BC59E36C5F8FCB458B1
Oncogene. 2010 Jul 29;29(30):4341-51. doi: 10.1038/onc.2010.179. Epub 2010 May 24. 3 comments on PubPeer (by: Peer 1)
CCDC6 represses CREB1 activity by recruiting histone deacetylase 1 and protein phosphatase 1.
Leone V1, Mansueto G, Pierantoni GM, Tornincasa M, Merolla F, Cerrato A, Santoro M, Grieco M, Scaloni A, Celetti A, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
See:-
https://pubpeer.com/publications/540B0911B18B968EAE22E862FA0819#2
and
https://pubpeer.com/publications/540B0911B18B968EAE22E862FA0819#3
Problematic data two Alfredo Fusco papers:-
1. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 May;97(5):E710-8. and
2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr;96(4):1029-38.
See: https://imgur.com/4DAHprQ
Which is correct?
1. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 May;97(5):E710-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-3068. Epub 2012 Mar 7.
Down-regulation of the miR-25 and miR-30d contributes to the development of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma targeting the polycomb protein EZH2.
Esposito F1, Tornincasa M, Pallante P, Federico A, Borbone E, Pierantoni GM, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr;96(4):1029-38. doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-1784. Epub 2011 Feb 2.
Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 overexpression has a role in the development of anaplastic thyroid carcinomas.
Borbone E1, Troncone G, Ferraro A, Jasencakova Z, Stojic L, Esposito F, Hornig N, Fusco A, Orlando V.
Author information
1
Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Università di Napoli Federico II,80131 Naples, Italy.
More problematic data J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 May;97(5):E710-8.
Figure 1B.
See: https://imgur.com/LyRm9YO
Endocr Relat Cancer. 2012 Apr 10;19(2):123-35. doi: 10.1530/ERC-11-0135. Print 2012 Apr.
PIT1 upregulation by HMGA proteins has a role in pituitary tumorigenesis.
Palmieri D1, Valentino T, De Martino I, Esposito F, Cappabianca P, Wierinckx A, Vitiello M, Lombardi G, Colao A, Trouillas J, Pierantoni GM, Fusco A, Fedele M.
Author information
1
Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Figure 1B.
See: https://imgur.com/3LCZbfc
Figures 2B and 2C.
See: https://pubpeer.com/publications/F5228951267114B6C1C46BA0E7F197#2
Same data used to represent different experiments:-
1. Br J Cancer. 2005 Aug 22;93(4):464-471.
2. Eur J Cancer. 2007 Dec:43(18):2729-35. and
3. Oncogene. 2007 Mar 29;26(14):2136-40.
Br J Cancer. 2005 Aug 22;93(4):464-471 also has reuse of data within it after flipping to represent something else.
See: https://imgur.com/1ftGTcW
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/105072502760339325
ThyroidVol. 12, No. 9 Laboratory Research ReportsFull Access
Thymosin β-10 Protein Synthesis Suppression Reduces the Growth of Human Thyroid Carcinoma Cells in Semisolid Medium
Giovanni Santelli Paola Cannada Bartoli Ada Giuliano Antonio Porcellini Alba Mineo Maria Vittoria Barone Immacolata Busiello Francesco Trapasso Daniela Califano Alfredo Fusco
Published Online:9 Jul 2004https://doi.org/10.1089/105072502760339325
https://pubpeer.com/publications/13F1BE30DA6A98F0B1576B73182909
Figure 2D.
https://imgur.com/6jTZJ7F
15 April 2019 retraction 2000 Alfredo Fusco paper.
Clin Cancer Res. 2000 Nov;6(11):4300-6.
FRA-1 expression in hyperplastic and neoplastic thyroid diseases.
Chiappetta G1, Tallini G, De Biasio MC, Pentimalli F, de Nigris F, Losito S, Fedele M, Battista S, Verde P, Santoro M, Fusco A.
Author information
1
Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Napoli, Fondazione Senatore Pascale, Naples, Italy.
Pubpeer comments. https://pubpeer.com/publications/DC31CC705F8901633563D575AC9251
2019 retraction notice.
http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/25/8/2675
This article (1) has been retracted at the request of the editors. In Fig. 4, the GADPH lanes appear to be repeated as triplets, and Fra-1 lanes 6 through 15 appear to be duplicated and rotated in the same blots. The authors provided RT-PCR images that exhibit results similar to the claims in the article, but they have not been able to locate the original blots to address the concerns regarding potential image modification.
A copy of this Retraction Notice was sent to the last known e-mail addresses for 10 of 11 authors. One author (Giovanni Tallini) agreed to the retraction; four authors (Gennaro Chiappetta, Filomena de Nigris, Sabrina Battista, and Alfredo Fusco) did not agree to the retraction; five authors (Francesca Pentimalli, Simona Losito, Monica Fedele, Pasquale Verde, and Massimo Santoro) did not respond; the one remaining author (Maria Cristina De Biasio) could not be located.
©2019 American Association for Cancer Research.
Reference
1.↵Chiappetta G, Tallini G, De Biasio MC, Pentimalli F, de Nigris F, Losito S, et al. FRA-1 expression in hyperplastic and neoplastic thyroid diseases. Clin Cancer Res 2000;6:4300–6
2021 retraction for Alfredo Fusco.
2021 retraction. https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-021-07810-y
BMC Cancer volume 21, Article number: 100 (2021) Cite this article
The original article was published in BMC Cancer 2013 13:433 Retraction Note: BMC Cancer (2013) 13:433
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-13-433
The Editor has retracted this article [1] because a number of the figures exhibit irregularities. Specifically:
In Figure 1B the blots in the ERK1/2 lanes for Testis and Interstitium appear to be the same
In Figure 2E the blots in the CCDC6 lanes for shctrl-/+ and empty vector appear to be the same
Figure 3 shows images labelled Seminoma and Embrionary carcinoma; however, these appear to represent the same tumour type
As these irregularities undermine the conclusions presented the Editor no longer has confidence in the article.
Angela Celetti, Stefania Staibano, Gennaro Ilardi, Francesco Merolla, Francesco Esposito, Francesco Morra, Renato Franco and Paolo Chieffi disagree with this retraction. Alfredo Fusco did not respond to correspondence about this retraction. The editor was not able to obtain a current email address for Vincenza Leone, Chiara Luise or Maria Siano.
Reference 1. Staibano S, Ilardi G, Leone V, et al. Critical role of CCDC6 in the neoplastic growth of testicular germ cell tumors. BMC Cancer. 2013;13:433 https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-13-433