The results revealed the association of ERK1/2, CDKs, and GSK-3 with the motif of PGK1 (sP)53, whose downstream substrates and the related corresponding phosphorylations, including MAP1S (S759), FOXK1 (S420), MAP2K1 (T386), etc., were increased in ESCC progression at the protein and phosphoprotein levels (Kruskal–Wallis test, FDR < 0.05, stage 9 vs. stage 1 ratio ≥ 2) (Fig. 7f). This evidence concerns the gene FOXK1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.