In the analysis of interactions between malignant epithelial cells and different subsets of ECs in both non-obese CRC samples and obese CRC samples, it was found that the chemokine CXCL3 and its receptor ACKR1 exhibited more pronounced activation from malignant epithelial cells towards ACKR1+EC in obese CRC samples compared to non-obese CRC samples (Fig. 6I). Here, CXCL3 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.