AXIN1 and malignant colon neoplasm: Further, colonospheres formed by colon cancer HCT-116 (wt or p53-/-) and HT-29 show a marked reduction in the expression of phosphorylated form of β-catenin and axin-1 and increased levels of total β-catenin (non-phosphorylated form) and phosphorylated form of GSK-3β, compared to the corresponding controls.