Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that the β‑actin control western blotting data featured in Fig. 3E were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in another article by different authors. Upon asking the authors to explain this phenomenon, they were unable to provide the raw data for this experiment. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere prior to its submission to International Journal of Molecular Medicine, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [International Journal of Molecular Medicine 44: 847‑856, 2019; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4257].
Keywords: Krüppel‑like factor 4; astragaloside IV; endothelial cells; miR‑140‑3p; oxidized low-density lipoprotein.