SMAD7 and colorectal carcinoma: Importantly, the anti-neoplastic action of Smad7 AS was seen in the CRC cell lines (i.e., DLD-1 and HCT116), which are not responsive to TGF-β1 [14,16], thus suggesting that the Smad7-mediated control of CRC cell growth occurs via a TGF-β-independent mechanism.