Retraction: Tocilizumab inhibits neuronal cell apoptosis and activates STAT3 in cerebral infarction rat model

Abstract

Retracted article: https://www.bjbms.org/ojs/index.php/bjbms/article/view/853

Following publication, concerns were raised by readers and the public regarding the integrity of the data presented in two figures of this article:

Figure 2B: An unexpected overlap was found between an image presented in this study and figures published in other articles.
Figure 4: An unexpected overlap was detected within the Western blot panels, suggesting potential duplication or manipulation.

The editorial office contacted all authors on 13 January 2025 and 30 January 2025 to clarify these concerns. On 4 March 2025, the corresponding author was specifically approached through both the e-mail address provided upon article submission and an institutional e-mail located online. However, no response or explanation was ever received.

Following our journal’s policies and guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the editors have decided to retract the article from publication due to serious concerns about the reliability and originality of the data. This retraction is intended to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.

We apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. We thank the individuals who brought these concerns to our attention.

The Editor-in-Chief has approved this retraction note.