AKT1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: In a region with obvious tumor hallmarks in ESCC, EFNB1-EPHB4 ligand–receptor interaction in epithelial cells aberrantly increased, which activated downstream SRC/ERK/AKT signaling, and mediated the cell cycle and EMT of malignant epithelial cells, resulting in the acceleration of cell proliferation and EMT and finally resulting in the progression of ESCC [37].