Moreover, a study found that a diosmectite-zinc oxide composite improves intestinal barrier restoration, in addition to increasing the expression of occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1; therefore, diosmectite-zinc oxide also has the potential to become a drug that strengthens the oesophageal epithelial barrier while reducing the invasion and metastasis of ESCC [151]. Here, OCLN is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.