In contrast to short‐term TGF‐β‐exposed HCC cells, long‐term TGF‐β stimulation upregulated CXCL5 expression in collaboration with Axl in HLF‐T cells, whereas it failed to increase CXCL5 in SNU449‐T cells. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.