ITGB4 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Silencing of ITGB4 repressed cell proliferation, colony forming ability and cell invasiveness, whereas ectopic expression of ITGB4 promoted the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells and induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in parallel with the upregulation of Slug, as shown by transwell assays, WB and immunocytochemistry.