The PLOS One Editors issued a formal retraction for the article titled "Early expression of osteopontin glycoprotein on the ocular surface and in tear fluid contributes to ocular surface diseases in type 2 diabetic mice." The retraction notice was published on September 1, 2026 (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0357314) and identifies the original research report (now retracted) as PLoS One.2024;19(10):e0313027 (pmid:39480896).
The retraction notice is part of the journal record and is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. The notice includes links to the original article page, the printable PDF, and related metadata so readers can access the retraction context and the original publication details.
Following publication, concerns were raised specifically about Fig 6A in the original article. The editors detail that multiple image panels within that single figure appear to originate from the same two underlying images rather than representing distinct experimental time points or conditions as labeled.
The notice lists two groups of panels that appear duplicated or derived from the same images:
These groupings indicate that panels attributed to different genotypes (WT versus OPN-/-) and to different weeks of observation may not be independent image data as presented in the figure. The editors report that the corresponding author stated an error occurred during preparation of Figure 6A.
The retraction notice records the authors’ positions as follows: two authors (initials AD and MN) did not agree with the retraction. The author listed as XYL either did not respond directly to the journal’s communications or could not be reached. The corresponding author acknowledged an error in figure preparation but, according to the notice, the concerns remained unresolved in a way that left the editors unable to uphold the validity and integrity of the published results.
On that basis, and in light of the unresolved concerns about image integrity in a key figure, the PLOS One Editors concluded a retraction was warranted and retracted the article.
The retraction notice provides a full citation for the retraction itself and references the original article that is the subject of the retraction. The retraction citation is: The PLOS One Editors (2026) Retraction: Early expression of osteopontin glycoprotein on the ocular surface and in tear fluid contributes to ocular surface diseases in type 2 diabetic mice. PLoS One 21(9): e0357314. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357314.
The notice also links to the related PLOS page flagged as "RETRACTION pertains to" listing the original, now-retracted article with its DOI and PDF. The original article entry remains in the public record with retraction status documented.
The retraction notice documents an editorial determination that the published results could not be validated because of unresolved image integrity issues in Figure 6A. The notice does not report additional experimental data, corrections, or replacement figures; it records the authors’ responses (agreement or disagreement) and the editors’ decision to retract.
Readers and researchers referencing the original 2024 article should note the retraction and rely on the retraction notice as the authoritative record of the journal’s conclusion. The notice preserves bibliographic links and metadata so that the retraction is traceable alongside the original publication details.
Reference
Datta A, Li XY, Nagpaul M. RETRACTED: Early expression of osteopontin glycoprotein on the ocular surface and in tear fluid contributes to ocular surface diseases in type 2 diabetic mice. PLoS One. 2024;19(10):e0313027. pmid:39480896. (This article has been retracted as detailed in the PLOS One retraction notice DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0357314.)