TGFB1 and cancer: Subsequently, CCK-8 assays, colony formation, wound-healing, and Western blot experiments were performed in HCC cell lines to validate the biological functions of the identified gene.<h4>Results</h4>The results revealed that the TGF-β signaling pathway exhibited the highest activity at the tumor-stroma interface, which was enriched with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immunosuppressive cells, and genes related to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling.