As shown in Fig. 6e and Additional file 7: Figure S4, in the NPC cells that coexpressed high levels of CXCR2 and CXCL5 (i.e., S18-shc and S26-CXCR2-CXCL5 cells), the levels of p-ERK1/2, p-GSK-3β, and Snail were enhanced, and we observed the typical EMT phenotype, which included the downregulation of E-cadherin and the upregulation of Vimentin. Here, CDH1 is linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.