Recombinant CCL18 (rCCL18), receptor siRNA and JAK specific inhibitor (AG490) were used in experiments investigating the effects of the CCL18-NIR1 axis on growth of cancer cells (i.e., proliferation, and metastasis), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The gene discussed is STAT3; the disease is cancer.