Expression of Concern: A small molecule, LLL12 inhibits constitutive STAT3 and IL-6-induced STAT3 signaling and exhibits potent growth suppressive activity in human multiple myeloma cells

Expression of Concern: L. Lin, D. M. Benson, S. DeAngelis, C. E. Bakan, P.-K. Li, C. Li, J. Lin, “ A small molecule, LLL12 inhibits constitutive STAT3 and IL-6-induced STAT3 signaling and exhibits potent growth suppressive activity in human multiple myeloma cells,” International Journal of Cancer 130, no. 6 (2011): 1459–1469. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.26152.

This Expression of Concern is for the above article, published online on 25 April 2011, in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), and has been issued by agreement between the journal Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Christoph Plass; the Union for International Cancer Control; and John Wiley and Sons Ltd. A third party raised concerns regarding similarities between the STAT3 blots in Figures 1D and 1E. Further investigation by the publisher revealed additional concerns, including potential editing in the Bcl-XL lane in Figure 2B and potential splicing in Figure 4D of the GP130R blot. Author J. Lin responded to an inquiry by the publisher, but the authors were not able to supply original unmodified data. The Expression of Concern has been agreed to because the results of the experiment as presented cannot be confirmed. Author J. Lin agrees with the Expression of Concern. Authors L. Lin, D. M. Benson Jr., S. DeAngelis, C. E. Bakan, P.-K. Li, and C. Li did not respond to our notice regarding the Expression of Concern.