As illustrated in Fig. 7d, depletion of RBM4 improved the level of LKB1, whereas overexpression of RBM4 reduced the LKB1 expression irrespectively of genetic background of the examined ESCC cells, further proving that RBM4 may participate in the regulation of ESCC progression through reversely regulating LKB1. This evidence concerns the gene STK11 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.