PLAU and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: (28) found that urokinase-type plasminogen activator (PLAU) secreted by ESCC cells contributed the transformation of fibroblasts to iCAFs and improved the expression and secretion of IL-8 through the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR)–Akt–NF-κB pathway.