This retraction was published on October 10, 2025. Read the article.
Retraction: Long noncoding RNA MEG3 suppresses podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Retraction: Che X, Deng X, Xie K, Wang Q, Yan J, Shao X, Ni Z, Ying L. 2019. Long noncoding RNA MEG3 suppresses podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. PeerJ 7:e8016 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8016

Significant concerns have been raised about the correctness of the micrographs in Figure 3M as well as the reported Ethical Approval procedure. When approached for an explanation the authors confirmed the inadvertent replacement of their original micrographs and did provide the supporting information necessary to confirm that the appropriate micrographs had been used for the quantitative conclusions in the manuscript. However, no response to our queries was obtained regarding their reporting of an Ethical approval number that has been used repeatedly in unrelated research by several other groups. Since appropriate ethical oversight of all research with vertebrates is critical to ensure the reliability of the reported science, we are retracting the article. All authors listed in this publication have been informed.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”. This Retraction updates the Expression of Concern which was issued on November 24th 2024.

PeerJ Editorial Office. 2025. Che X, Deng X, Xie K, Wang Q, Yan J, Shao X, Ni Z, Ying L. 2019. Long noncoding RNA MEG3 suppresses podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. PeerJ 7:e8016/retraction https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8016/retraction