Increasing CaSR levels, either by transfection (HT29CaSR) or by treatment with NPS R-568 reduced the stem-like phenotype in these cells by downregulating expression of pluripotency associated genes, SOX2, Nanog, Oct4, and the colon cancer stem cell marker, CD44 (Figure 8B). The gene discussed is CASR; the disease is malignant colon neoplasm.