Retraction: Effects of Iron Overload on the Bone Marrow Microenvironment in Mice

Abstract

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Following the publication of this article [1] concerns were raised with the mouse model, the results presented in Figs 1 and 3 and the references. Specifically,

The corresponding author stated that Fig 1A in [1] presents the labile iron pool level (LIP) of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), and Fig 1A in [3], corrected in [4] presents the LIP of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs). Regarding the similarities between Figs 1B and C in [1] and in [3], corrected in [4], the corresponding author stated that [1] focuses on the effect of bone marrow microenvironment by iron overload, and [3], corrected in [4], focuses on the hematopoiesis of bone marrow by iron overload, and that [1] and [3], corrected in [4], share the same iron overload mouse model from experiments carried out at the same time. They stated that they established the iron overload mouse model once, using the same Figs 1B and C in [1] and [3], corrected in [4].

The authors did not respond to editorial requests for comments on the remainder of the concerns.

In light of the above unresolved concerns which call into question the reliability and integrity of the published results, the PLOS One Editors retract this article.

YZ, WZ, DL, XChai, XCao, JMeng, JC, XX, QL, JMu, JS, and AM either did not respond directly or could not be reached. MZ did not respond to the final editorial decision.

The upper two panels in Fig 1C report material similar to that published in Fig 1 in [2], published in 2014 by Zhongguo Yixue Kexueyuan. The upper two panels in Fig 1C are not offered under a CC BY license and are therefore excluded from this article’s [1] license.

Since the publication of [1], Reference 6 [10,11] has been retracted [12].