HGF and neoplasm: The EMT is known to be regulated by signals from the tumor microenvironment, including various cytokines and growth factors such as EGF, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and TGF-β, which can activate several transcription factors promoting the EMT, including NF-κB, Snail, Slug, ZEB1, and Twist, to transmit EMT promotion signals 44, 45.