CASP3 and colorectal carcinoma: Moreover, we found that the apoptosis induced by NRBP1 in CRC cells occurred only via the intrinsic pathway, as evidenced by increased cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 in NRBP1-overexpressing CRC cells and decreased cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 in NRBP1-silenced CRC cells; upregulation of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 caused by NRBP1 overexpression was abolished by the caspase inhibitor.