To investigate the specific role of CXCL16 in BLM-induced EMT, we silenced the expression of CXCL16 by transfecting A549 cells with CXCL16 siRNA, and the inhibitory efficiency of CXCL16 siRNA could be seen in Additional file 1: Fig. S2. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL16 and Bloom syndrome.