Main text

Hong X, Huang H, Qiu X, Ding Z, Feng X, Zhu Y, Zhuo H, Hou J, Zhao J, Cai W, Sha R, Hong X, Li Y, Song H, Zhang Z. 2018. Targeting posttranslational modifications of RIOK1 inhibits the progression of colorectal and gastric cancers. eLife 7:e29511. doi: 10.7554/eLife.29511.

Published 31 January 2018

Dr Zhiyong Zhang, on behalf of all the authors, is retracting this eLife publication in which they proposed that SETD7-mediated K411 methylation and CK2-mediated T410 phosphorylation dynamically regulate RIOK1 protein stability, and that these modifications control the aberrant progression of gastric cancers.

Duplication of images had been reported on PubPeer (https://pubpeer.com/publications/B49C40E8FC66A9E2118DB0D8F296EA), affecting Figures 2M, 5J, 6G, 7H, and 9H. Specifically, the SETD7 and Ub bands from Figure 5J duplicate the HA-ubiquitin and Myc bands of Figure 5K from He et al. 2017 (doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.15529). Secondly, the V5 band from Figure 6G duplicates the GST / RioK1 band from Figure 7H, which also duplicates the ATF4 band of Figure 4B from Zeng et al. 2016 (doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.6940). Lastly, the HE Staining panel from Figure 2M RKO / RioK1 overlaps with Figure 9H T410E+K411 R.

Upon review by the authors, the figure duplications were caused by errors in figure management and unfamiliarity with the software during figure preparation. Dr Zhang takes full responsibility for the errors and has provided the editorial office with detailed explanations and original records via multiple emails. Email correspondence with the corresponding authors of the two Oncotarget papers confirms that they mistakenly used the images for the eLife paper in their publications.

Dr Zhang independently repeated the in vitro and in vivo experiments related to the questioned figures three times, with all results consistent with the original conclusions. These additional data have also been submitted to the editorial office. However, given the concerns raised by the figure duplications and their impact on readers and co-authors, Dr Zhang, in consultation with the editorial office, has decided to retract the paper. All of the authors agree that retraction is the appropriate course of action.

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Xuehui Hong

  2. He Huang

  3. Xingfeng Qiu

  4. Zhijie Ding

  5. Xing Feng

  6. Yuekun Zhu

  7. Huiqin Zhuo

  8. Jingjing Hou

  9. Jiabao Zhao

  10. Wangyu Cai

  11. Ruihua Sha

  12. Xinya Hong

  13. Yongxiang Li

    For correspondence
    yongxiangli_1@hotmail.com
  14. Hongjiang Song

    For correspondence
    hongjiangsong2015@163.com

Version history

  1. Version of Record published:

Copyright

© 2025, Hong et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

Metrics

  • 285
    views
  • 0
    citations

Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.

Download links

A two-part list of links to download the article, or parts of the article, in various formats.

Open citations (links to open the citations from this article in various online reference manager services)

Cite this article (links to download the citations from this article in formats compatible with various reference manager tools)

  1. Xuehui Hong
  2. He Huang
  3. Xingfeng Qiu
  4. Zhijie Ding
  5. Xing Feng
  6. Yuekun Zhu
  7. Huiqin Zhuo
  8. Jingjing Hou
  9. Jiabao Zhao
  10. Wangyu Cai
  11. Ruihua Sha
  12. Xinya Hong
  13. Yongxiang Li
  14. Hongjiang Song
  15. Zhiyong Zhang
(2025)
Retraction: Targeting posttranslational modifications of RIOK1 inhibits the progression of colorectal and gastric cancers
eLife 14:e108007.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.108007

Share this article

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.108007