Fig. 2

ELN mRNA is not changed, but abnormal levels of MMP12, MMP9 and TIMP3 mRNA expression are found in tumor from CRC patients compared to adjacent non-tumor colon tissues and healthy controls. a Colon organoid were isolated from tumor tissues in CRC patients and healthy controls. The organoids were stimulated with TGF-β for 5 days, and ELN mRNA expression was measured from microarray data based on a GSE79462 dataset (n = 5–6). MMP12 (b), MMP9 (c) and TIMP3 (d) gene expression was analyzed from colon tissues from healthy controls (n = 5) and CRC patients (n = 31) based on a GSE128449 dataset. MMP12 (e), MMP9 (f) and TIMP3 (g) gene expression was analyzed from colon tissues from tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from the same CRC patients (n = 17) according to a GSE110224 dataset. Results are mean ± SEM