NPEPL1 and colorectal carcinoma: Luciferase assay in SW480 and HT-29 cells confirmed that overexpression of miR-19a-3p strikingly reduced the luciferase activity of NPEPL1-WT (P < 0.01, Fig. 5b), indicating that miR-19a-3p directly bound to NPEPL1 in CRC cells, which was verified by RIP experiments (P < 0.01, Fig. 5c).