The oxygen consumption of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, as measured by high-resolution respirometry (Oroboros 1 oxygraph system), revealed a differentiated phenotype of colorectal cancer cells upon HMGB1 treatment: respiration ceased in cells that were highly sensitive to HMGB1 whereas it was not affected in resistant cells such as the HT29 colon carcinoma cell line. The gene discussed is HMGB1; the disease is colorectal cancer.