Chemosensitizing effect of neferine on cisplatin-resistant colorectal cancer: Identification of potential candidate genes and pathways through whole transcriptome profiling

•Neferine is the alkaloid from the lotus seed embryo.•Cisplatin drug resistance occurs due to enhanced drug efflux, DNA repair and drug detoxification.•1263 DEGs were identified in neferine treated cisplatin-resistant CRC cells.•The regulatory pathway network reveals that 54 DEGs were involved in DNA replication, DNA repair, translesion synthesis and MCM complex.•Neferine reverse the cisplatin resistance in CRC cells via E2F1 mediated DNA repair and damage tolerance pathway.