Retraction Note: Leucovorin Enhances the Anti-cancer Effect of Bortezomib in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Year: 2026

Type: retraction

Abstract: After publication, concerns were raised regarding a number of the figures presented in this work. Specifically, several of the flow cytometry plots in Figure 2 seem to partially overlap with each other. Many of the Western blot panels in Figures 4 and 5 also appear to be whole or partial duplicates of each other, including but not limited to: In Figure 4a, sections of the Caspase 3 row seem to overlap with sections of the Caspase 8 and Actin rows; The first four blots in the Caspase 9 row of Figure 4A appear to have been flipped horizontally and reused as the H2A.X row in Figure 4C; After being flipped vertically, the p53 row in Figure 4D appears highly similar to the Actin row in Figure 4E; In Figure 5D, there is an apparent overlap between the Cleaved Caspase 8 and Cleaved Caspase 9 rows.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-76490-0