In contrast, the numbers of cleaved caspase-3-positive cells were increased indicating elevated levels of apoptosis (Fig. 7e, f), Consistent with the results obtained in cultured cells, the expression of genes associated with cancer stem cells, including CD44, CD133, LGR5, and AXIN2, was significantly decreased in SREBP1 and SREBP2 knockdown tumors (Fig. 7g). Here, CD44 is linked to cancer.