TGFB1 and esophageal cancer: This process phosphorylates and recruits type I receptors.10 The intracellular effectors (SMAD2/SMAD3) are phosphorylated by the activated type I receptors, which come into being a complex with SMAD4 and are transported to the nucleus for transcriptional regulation.11 As a key molecule in the TGF‐β signaling pathway, SMAD4 undoubtedly plays an irreplaceable role in the TGF‐β‐mediated EMT.12, 13, 14 However, the mechanism of action of SMAD4 in the progression of EMT in esophageal cancer remains to be studied.