To determine whether VAX2 had any effect on GC development and progression, we constructed stable transfectants using VAX2-sense plasmids in HGC-27 cells (Supplementary Fig. 2C1) or knocked down VAX2 with siRNAp in SNU-719 and MKN-45 cells (Supplementary Fig. 2C2), as confirmed through western blotting analysis. The gene discussed is VAX2; the disease is gastric cancer.