We performed a sphere formation assay to validate whether PT can enhance the features of cancer stem cells and found that, along with TRAF3-silenced C cells, the sphere-forming ability of PT transduced cells was enhanced, regardless of TRAF3 expression (120.7 ± 22.0, 323.0 ± 44.9, 270.67 ± 43.5, and 287.7 ± 12.3 spheres in 1196 C, 1196 C TRAF3 KO, 1196PT, and 1196PT TRAF3 KO cells, respectively, p < 0.001) (Supplementary Fig. 6d). The gene discussed is TRAF3; the disease is cancer.