TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Thus, a key end-point of this platform optimization and evaluation was to investigate the cellular and molecular pathways of TGFβ1, a multifunctional cytokine provided with a dual pro-neoplastic action by promoting directly HCC development and progression, or indirectly by inducing a pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrogenic microenvironment and facilitating HCC immune escape [14].