Overexpression of mda-9 in the non-stem cancer cells of DU-145 and PC3-ML also led to an approximately 2–4-fold increase in PCSCs as well as self-renewal associated genes (Nanog ~13–22-fold, Sox2 ~2–6-fold, Oct4 ~6.8–15-fold) (Supplementary Figure S1B). Here, SOX2 is linked to cancer.