CD44 and cancer: When selected cells were exposed to glucose deprivation-induced metabolic stress (e.g., glucose deprivation), it led to more significant induction of cancer stemness-related genes (e.g., WNT, ALDH1A1, EGFR, and CD44), PGC1α, ATP2B isoforms, HNF4α, and NFκB than those in parental cells (Fig. 1D, E) compared with glucose present conditions.