Among the top ten enriched pathways in both CRC versus NAT and CRC versus NDT comparisons associated with upregulated proteins, we identified several pathways related to the TME, such as innate immune system, IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, inflammatory response, TGF-β signaling, EMT, and ECM organization (Fig. 1C-D, Supplementary Fig. 2). This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and colorectal carcinoma.