SMAD7 and cancer: As was documented before, HOTAIR could unite with miRNAs to improve or discourage the chemosensitivity of certain cancers.39 With patients suffering from non‐traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head as the focus, HOTAIR was estimated to modulate proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts through suppressing miR‐17‐5p/SMAD7 signaling.40 This targeted relationship between HOTAIR and miR‐17‐5p has also been verified within the studied gastric cancer cells by the luciferase reporter gene assay conducted here (Figure 5).