Although CTHRC1 inhibits TGF-β signaling, which induces phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in smooth muscle cells [28, 29] and collagen type I expression in keloid fibroblasts [30], we could not confirm such an inhibitory effect in SW480-CTHRC1 cells (data not shown). The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is keloid.