AKT1 and colonic neoplasm: We then silenced Bmi-1 expression in Hes1-expressing SW620 cells using RNAi, and found inhibition of Bmi-1 abrogated Hes1 protection of colon cancer cells from apoptosis (Figure 6E, 6F) and reduced the accelerated cell growth in vitro and in vivo (Figure 6A, 6C, 6D, 6G), we also found Akt activation and GSK3β phosphorylation (Figure 6B) induced by Hes1.