VASN and rectal cancer: To validate this further, WB assays were performed, and the results indicated that VASN overexpression increased the expression of ERK, p-ERK, NOTCH1 and NICD (cleaved form of NOTCH1) in SW837 cells (a rectal cancer cell line), while VASN knockdown resulted in downregulation of these proteins (Fig. 4d and e, Supplemental Fig. 2e).