Retraction: Kannan et al. AEG-1/miR-221 Axis Cooperatively Regulates the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 5526.

The journal retracts the article, "AEG-1/miR-221 Axis Cooperatively Regulates the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway" [...].

The journal retracts the article, “AEG-1/miR-221 Axis Cooperatively Regulates the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway” [1], cited above.

We have been made aware that a number of figures in the paper cited above [1] contain manipulation. Several images from Figures 4 and 5 are unexpectedly similar. In accordance with our ethics procedures, an investigation was conducted. The authors have not been able to provide a satisfactory explanation for these irregularities, which brings uncertainty regarding the scientific conclusions. Therefore, to ensure the addition of only high-quality scientific works to the field of scholarly publication, this paper [1] has now been retracted and shall be marked accordingly. The authors agree to this retraction.

We apologize to our readership that this went undetected until now.