Notably, we demonstrate that methionine strongly elicits NR4A2 expression in ESCC cells, but shows negligible influence on NR4A2 expression in non-transformed esophageal epithelial cells, potentially suggesting that this amino acid does not involve in the tumorigenesis of ESCC, consistent with the previous finding in a nutritional epidemiology study [12]. The gene discussed is NR4A2; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.