ACKR3 and colorectal carcinoma: To prove the role of CXCR7 in EMT of CRC and its potential link with activation of CAFs, we performed western blotting and found that high expression of CXCR7 remarkably promoted EMT as indicated by the significant decrease in E-cadherin expression and marked increase in Vimentin expression in colonic tissues of CXCR7+/− mice.