The inhibition of GSK‐3β can induce the upregulation of Snail, and subsequently, E‐cadherin expression was downregulated, leading to mesenchymal phenotype.28, 40, 41, 42 In the present study, we used SB‐415286 for EMT conversion in ESCC and our results clearly showed that GSK‐3β inhibition induced EMT conversion with upregulation of Snail and ZEB‐1, leading to phenotypic alteration with downregulated E‐cadherin and upregulated vimentin in ESCC cell lines. This evidence concerns the gene ZEB1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.