Increased TNC expression is observed in inflammation, organ fibrosis,27,49,50 and in cancer.51 Weak and restricted TNC expression in the majority of the healthy adult tissues is transiently induced during wound healing and tissue remodelling, but in pathological conditions, such as fibrosis and cancer, it persists.52 Among the TNC transcription regulators is TGFβ signalling,53 which is also activated in our carious pulps that demonstrate increased expression levels of TGFβ-1, TGFβ-2 and SMAD3, and a higher proportion of cells expressing these genes. Here, SMAD3 is linked to cancer.