HMBOX1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: ESCC cells were transfected with OE‐HMBOX1 and si‐HMBOX1, which successfully upregulated and downregulated HMBOX1 expression, respectively, as demonstrated by the PCR and western blot data (Figure 2D,E, p < 0.05 vs. OE‐NC and si‐NC, respectively).