Fig 1A and 1B show that LPS-activated macrophage CM increased the sphere-forming capability of both murine CT26 and human HCP-1 CRC cell lines by more than two-fold compared to the control CM. In addition, LPS-activated macrophage CM treatment enriched the Aldefluor-positive cell population of both CT26 and HCP-1 cells by ~four- and ~eight-fold, respectively, compared to controls (Fig 1C and 1D). Here, DDX53 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.