TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: qRT-PCR and Western blot revealed that TGF-β1 at the dose of 10 ng/ml for 48 hrs induced obvious EMT of HCC cells with decreased expression level of E-cadherin but increased expression level of N-cadherin and Vimentin as compared with the untreated cells (Fig. 3a,b).