Transforming Growth Factor-β and Axl Induce CXCL5 and Neutrophil Recruitment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β suppresses early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development but triggers pro-oncogenic abilities at later stages. Recent data suggest that the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl causes a TGF-β switch toward dedifferentiation and invasion of HCC cells. Here, we analyzed two human cellular HCC models with opposing phenotypes in response to TGF-β.