The silencing of PD‐L1 was also associated with activation of caspase‐3/7, and a significant increase in the caspases' activities was observed in PD‐L1‐expressing tumour cells 48 h after transfection (Figure 2B, p < 0.05), indicating that the stages of apoptosis are associated with changes in caspase activity. The gene discussed is CD274; the disease is neoplasm.