TGFBR2 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Using RT-qPCR, we obtained that TGFBR2 mRNA levels were also downregulated in several ESCC cell lines (HET-1A, TE-1, ECA-109, KYSE-150, KYSE-180, KYSE-510, KYSE-410, KYSE-30) dramatically compared to an immortalized esophageal epithelial cell line, Het-1A (Fig. 5a, Additional file 1: Figure S1; P < 0.05).