The infection-induced NETs rather than the neutrophil supernatant facilitate tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, which is dependent on the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-mediated upregulation of N-cadherin and phosphorylated-smad family member 2/3 (p-Smad2/3), as well as the downregulation of E-cadherin (EMT marker) (Figure 1(b)). Here, SMAD2 is linked to infection.