TGFB1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: We also found that down-regulation of LTBP1 was accompanied by decreased expression of TGFβ, N-cadherin and vimentin, as well as increased expression of E-cadherin in ESCC cells, suggesting that LTBP1 may involve in regulating the secretion and activation of TGFβ and play an important role in promoting EMT in ESCC cells.