Expression of Concern. Shuangxi Wang, Jian Xu, Ping Song, Benoit Viollet, and Ming-Hui Zou. InVivo Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Attenuates Diabetes-Enhanced Degradation of GTP Cyclohydrolase I. Diabetes 2009;58:1893-1901. DOI: 10.2337/db09-0267. PMID: 19528375. PMCID: PMC2712774.

Abstract

On the basis of the recommendation of the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) Panel on Ethical Scientific Programs (ESP), the ADA, the publisher of Diabetes, is issuing this expression of concern to alert readers to the possible republication of images presented in the above-cited article. In particular, the GTPCH I panel in Fig. 2A, the β-actin panel in Fig. 2A, and the GTPCH I panel in Fig. 3A of this article are unexpectedly similar to the p67, β-actin, and Nox2 panels, respectively, of Fig. 6C of the now-retracted 2016 article cited below: Hu M, Lui B. Resveratrol via activation of LKB1-AMPK signaling suppresses oxidative stress to prevent endothelial dysfunction in diabetic mice. Clin Exp Hypertens 2016;38:381-387. DOI: 10.3109/10641963.2015.1131288. PMID: 27149559. Retraction in: Clin Exp Hypertens 2021;43:801. DOI: 10.1080/10641963.2018.1475654 In addition, the ESP has noted that within the article, the AMPK panel in Fig. 1A, the eNOS panel in Fig. 2A, and the β-actin panel in Fig. 5A, with adjustments to aspect ratios, also appear to be unexpectedly similar. In light of these concerns, the ADA has asked the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the corresponding author's institutional affiliation at the time the study was conducted, to investigate this matter. Diabetes is a member journal of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (publicationethics.org). As such, the editors of the journal and the ESP refer to COPE's guidelines and recommendations when reviewing such matters.