Frontiers in Medicine has formally retracted a 2021 research article that claimed a long non-coding RNA called SNHG12 drives the growth and spread of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells by regulating a molecular pathway involving miR-199a-5p and the Klotho protein. The retraction notice, published on 30 October 2026, states that the journal no longer has confidence in the findings presented in the paper.
The retraction notice carries the same title prefixed with the word Retraction and is identified by the DOI 10.3389/fmed.2026.2038820.
According to the notice, concerns were raised after publication regarding the integrity of the images in the published figures. In this case, the journal reports that the authors failed to provide the raw data or a satisfactory explanation during the investigation, which was conducted in accordance with Frontiers’ policies.
The notice states that, given the concerns about the validity of the data and the lack of raw data, the editors no longer have confidence in the findings presented in the article.
The retraction was approved by the Chief Editors of Frontiers in Medicine and the Chief Executive Editor of Frontiers. The notice confirms that the authors received a communication regarding the retraction and had a chance to respond, and that this communication has been recorded by the publisher. The retraction itself was received and accepted on 23 October 2026 and published one week later, on 30 October 2026, as an editorial item in the journal’s Section of Precision Medicine, Volume 13.
The retracted article's title described SNHG12 as a new therapeutic target that regulates miR-199a-5p/Klotho to promote the growth and metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells. Because the article has been retracted, those claims should no longer be treated as validated findings.
The retraction notice is signed by the Frontiers Editorial Office, based in Switzerland, and directs correspondence to the publisher’s research integrity contact. It also carries the standard Frontiers disclaimer that all claims expressed in the article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, the publisher, the editors or the reviewers. The notice is published under a Creative Commons Attribution License, and the citation record lists it as Frontiers Editorial Office (2026), Front. Med. 13:2038820.
The retracted article remains linked to the retraction notice, so its claims about SNHG12, miR-199a-5p and Klotho should no longer be treated as validated findings. The journal’s stated basis for the action is narrow and specific: concerns about the integrity of the images in the published figures, the authors’ failure to provide raw data or a satisfactory explanation, and the resulting loss of confidence in the validity of the data. The notice does not assert findings beyond that scope.
Subject of Research: Retraction of a study on the long non-coding RNA SNHG12 and the miR-199a-5p/Klotho axis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells
Article Title: Retraction: Long non-coding RNA SNHG12, a new therapeutic target, regulates miR-199a-5p/Klotho to promote the growth and metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells
Article References: Frontiers Editorial Office (2026). Retraction: Long non-coding RNA SNHG12, a new therapeutic target, regulates miR-199a-5p/Klotho to promote the growth and metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells. Frontiers in Medicine, 13, Article 2038820. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.2038820
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.2038820
Keywords: retraction, Frontiers in Medicine, SNHG12, long non-coding RNA, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, miR-199a-5p, Klotho, research integrity, image manipulation, cancer biology, Long, non-coding
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (November 6, 2026). Journal retracts cholangiocarcinoma SNHG12 study over image integrity concerns. Scienmag.
