The cell lines (Additional file 1: Table S1) were selected to represent the main molecular subtypes of the patient series (Table 1) with the MMR-proficient SW480 and T84 corresponding to sporadic microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancers, RKO and AN3CA (MMR-deficient due to presumably biallelic MLH1 promoter methylation) equivalent to sporadic MSI cancers and HCT15, HCT116, and HEC59 (MMR-deficient as a result of MMR gene mutations) analogous to LS-CRC and LS-EC. This evidence concerns the gene MRC1 and colorectal cancer.