Additionally, the expression level of ANGPTL4 was positively correlated with that of TGFB1 or SMAD3 in CRC tissues from GEPIA2 database (R = 0.42, p < 0.001 and R = 0.41, p < 0.001, respectively) (Fig. 5E). Here, SMAD3 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.