Moreover, tumors formed by HT29 cells and p38α∆ MSCs showed elevated levels of phospho-Smad2 in tumor-associated stromal cells, indicating the induction of a stromal TGF-β response, which was not observed in tumors formed by HT29 cells alone or with WT MSCs (Fig. 6d). Here, TGFB1 is linked to neoplasm.