Table 3 The calcium/calmodulin-stimulated protein kinase II regulates cancer stem-like features in several cancer types

Liver cancer

Huh7, MHCC97H, SNU398

CD133⁺ Huh7 population and CD90⁺ MHCC97H population were sorted by FACS

CaMK2 inhibitor, KN93, remarkably decreased the stem cell populations and inhibited sphere formation in liver cancer cell lines

[48]

GBM

U87MG

U373MG

GSCs were enriched by neurosphere formation

Inhibiting CaMK2γ remarkably repressed the stem cell-like phenotypes as well as the expression of stemness markers by decreasing c-Met signaling pathway

[66]

Patient-derived xenografts

BTICs and non-BTICs were isolated based on functional criteria

CaMK2 was highly expressed in non-BTICs and positively associated with the non-BTICs phenotypes

[67]

CML

K562

KCL22

CD34⁺/CD38⁻ leukemia stem cells were sorted from primary CML samples using FACS

CaMK2γ was highly up-regulated and activated in leukemia stem cells of CML

[57]

Breast cancer

MCF-7, MDA-MB-231

long-term glucose deprivation

CaMK2α inhibition using siRNAs or KN62 significantly increased apoptosis and decreased survival of CSCs

[68]

Lung cancer

HCC827, A549, H1299

ZRLC-1

CSCs were enriched by oncosphere culture

CaMK2γ significantly enhanced the stem-like traits and tumorigenicity of lung cancer cells in an Akt- and β-catenin-dependent manner

[69]