SOX2 and gastric cancer: This activates NF-κB and upregulates the expression of stemness genes SOX2, NANOG, and KLF in breast cancer and prostate cancer.44 Similarly, integrin αvβ3 reportedly activates Gli1 through a non-classic ERK1/2 pathway and the classic Hedgehog pathway to maintain CSC phenotypes in gastric cancer.45 Consistent with prior reports, we demonstrated that integrin β1 and β3 play key roles in collagen- and fibrinogen-regulated cancer stemness, respectively.