Interestingly, lathyrol attenuates the expression of certain proteins in the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and promotes the expression of inhibitory Smad (I-Smad) proteins in both in vivo and in vitro, thereby inhibiting the signal transmission and regulatory function of the TGF-β/Smad pathway in RCC cells and exerting corresponding anticancer effects (43, 44). The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is renal cell carcinoma.