qRT-PCR reactions were performed with 100 ng of cDNA on the whole sample collection and cell lines, using an ABI Prism 7000 Sequence Detection System and TaqMan Universal PCR Master Mix (ThermoFisher Scientific). Reaction conditions were: 10 min of denaturation at 95°C and 40 cycles at 95°C for 15 s and at 60°C for 1 min. Quantitative values were calculated by the PE Biosystems Analysis software and expressed as N target (NT). NT = 2-ΔCt, wherein ΔCt value of each sample was calculated by subtracting the average Ct value of the target gene from the average Ct value of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. Primers used in the study include: 18S rRNA Forward (F): 5’-CGGCTACCACATCCAAGGAA-3’, Reverse (R): 5’-GCTGGAATTACCGCGGCT-3’; Mouse CTGF: F: 5’-GGGCCTCTTCTGCGATTTC-3’, R: 5’- ATCCAGGCAAGTGCATTGGTA-3’; Mouse SLC38A1: F: 5′-AGCAACGACTCTAATGACTTCAC-3’, R: 5’-CCTCCTACTCTCCCGATCTGA-3’; Mouse SLC7A5: F: 5′-CTACGCCTACATGCTGGAGG-3’, R: 5’-GAGGGCCGAATGATGAGCAG-3’; Mouse SLC1A5: F: 5′-TTCGCTATCGTCTTTGGTGTG-3’, R: 5’-ATGGTGGCATCATTGAAGGAG-3’; Human CTGF: F: 5′-CAGCATGGACGTTCGTCTG-3’, R: 5’-AACCACGGTTTGGTCCTTGG-3’; Human CYR61: F: 5′-GGTCAAAGTTACCGGGCAGT-3’, R: 5’-GGAGGCATCGAATCCCAGC-3’; Human SLC38A1: F: 5′-AACCTCCTTAGGCATGTCTGT-3’, R: 5’-GCAAAGGCGAGTCCCAAAAT-3’; Human YAP1: F: 5’-TAGCCCTGCGTAGCCAGTTA-3’, R: 5’-TCATGCTTAGTCCACTGTCTGT-3’; Human TEAD4: F: 5’-GGACACTACTCTTACCGCATCC-3’, R: 5’-TCAAAGACATAGGCAATGCACA-3’; Human FOXM1: F: 5’-TTGCCCGAGCACTTGGAATC-3’, R: 5’-GTATGAGCTGACCCGTGGT-3’. Predesigned primers for human β-catenin (ID# Hs00355049_m1) were purchased from Applied Biosystems (Foster City, CA).