ILF2 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Among these metabolites, we found that in ESCC tissues with high ILF2 expression, 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, the abnormal degradation product of BCAA was significantly downregulated, and several short-chain acyl-carnitines (C3:0, C4:0, and C5:0) related to the BCAA metabolic pathway were obviously upregulated (Figure 5B).