Notice on myostatin research

12 December 2015

NOTICE ON MYOSTATIN RESEARCH

As a top-ranked global university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) upholds the highest research standards and international best practices in research. NTU has zero tolerance towards any form of research malpractice and will not hesitate to take action against anyone found to be lacking in research integrity.

In accordance with its policy of research integrity, NTU conducted an in-depth investigation following allegations of research malpractice.

This concerned research in myostatin that was jointly carried out by researchers from NTU, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). NTU took the lead in the investigation, after consulting with A*STAR and NUS.

The investigation found a number of instances of alterations to data. Consequently, NTU asked all the authors to assume responsibility by retracting the following papers. All authors have agreed, except for Sudarsanareddy Lokireddy. The authors and the papers are listed below:

• 'The Ubiquitin Ligase Mul1Induces Mitophagy in Skeletal Muscle in Response to Muscle-wasting Stimuli' by Sudarsanareddy Lokireddy¹, Isuru W. Wijesomu¹, Serena Teng¹, Sabeera Bonala¹, Peter D. Gluckman², Craig McFarlane², Mridula Sharma³, and Ravi Kambadur^1,2.
  
  Cell Metabolism 16, 613-624, 7 November 2012 (Elsevier)
  This paper has been retracted by the journal. 
  
  
• 'Myostatin is a novel tumoral factor that induces cancer cachexia' by Sudarsanareddy Lokireddy¹, Isuru W. Wijesomu¹, Sabeera Bonala¹, Meng Wei¹, Siu Kwan Sze¹, Craig McFarlane², Ravi Kambadur^1,2 and Mridula Sharma³
  
  Biochemical Journal 2012 Aug 15, 446(1), 23-36. 
  [In process of retraction]
  
  
• 'Myostatin induces degradation of sarcomeric proteins through a Smad3 signaling mechanism during skeletal muscle wasting.' by Sudarsanareddy Lokireddy¹, Craig McFarlane², Xiaojia Ge¹, Huoming Zhang¹, Siu Kwan Sze¹, Mridula Sharma³, and Ravi Kambadur^1,2
  
  Molecular Endocrinology 2011 Nov 25(11) 1936-49. 
  [In process of retraction]
  
  

The investigation also found other instances where data were presented without proper explanation of how they were derived. These however do not alter the scientific conclusions of the papers concerned. As a result, corrections and corrigenda have been requested for the following papers:

• 'Myostatin augments muscle-specific ring finger protein-1 expression through an NF-kB independent mechanism in SMAD3 null muscle' by Sriram S, Subramanian S, Juvvuna PK, Ge X, Lokireddy S, McFarlane CD, Wahli W, Kambadur R, Sharma M.
  
  Molecular Endocrinology 2014 Mar; 28(3):317-30. 
  
  
• 'Modulation of reactive oxygen species in skeletal muscle by myostatin is mediated through NF-kB' By Sriram S, Subramanian S, Sathiakumar D, Venkatesh R, Salerno MS, McFarlane CD, Kambadur R, Sharma M.
  
  Aging Cell 2011 Dec; 10(6):931-48. 
  
  

It has been agreed the following paper will be withdrawn at the behest of the journal editors:

• 'Myostatin induces DNA damage in skeletal muscle of streptozotocin induced type 1 diabetic mice.' By Sriram S, Subramanian S, Juvvuna PK, McFarlane C, Salerno MS, Kambadur R, Sharma M.

  Journal of Biological Chemistry 2014 Feb28; 289(9):5784-98. 
  

Disciplinary procedures and further investigation are currently ongoing. We will not be making comments while this is ongoing but only after conclusions have been made at a later date.

Authors and their affiliations:

¹ School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University

² Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine

³ Department of Biochemistry, YLL School of Medicine, National University of Singapore