The TCGA database (1084 human breast invasive carcinoma samples) revealed similar associations (Additional file 23: Table S4 and additional file 24: Fig. S16), in particular strong positive association of NME4 with epithelial markers (KRT18, the CK8 gene KRT8, the plakoglobin gene JUP, the ZO-3 gene TJP3, and the claudin 3 gene CLDN3) and negative association of NME4 with mesenchymal markers (VIM, CDH2) and EMT drivers (SNAI1, SNAI2, ZEB1, ZEB2). Here, ZEB1 is linked to invasive breast carcinoma.