Different to lower levels of miR-206 and miR-140 in adenocarcinoma samples, we noted that p-Smad3, Smad3, and TRIB2 were higher in adenocarcinoma samples compared with para-carcinomas (n=10, Figure 8a and b, P<0.01), and this was negatively correlated with miR-206 and miR-140 expression, which supporting that the suppressive roles of miR-206 (or miR-140) in regulating the expression of p-Smad3/Smad3 and TRIB2. Here, SMAD3 is linked to adenocarcinoma.