CK2 inhibition enhanced TAp73 expression and TAp73 dependent suppression of CSC-related markers and SP cells. A. TAp73 mRNA expression was significantly increased 48 hours after treatment with CK2 inhibitor DMAT (left) or transfection with CK2α siRNA (right) in UM-SCC46 cells. B. TAp73 and total p73 protein expression was increased in nuclear extracts 48 hours after UM-SCC-46 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of CK2 inhibitor DMAT, as detected by Western blot. Nuclear Oct1 is shown as a constitutive loading control. C. CSC-related Oct4 and Nanog mRNA expression was increased in UM-SCC-46 48 hours after transfection with increasing concentration of 50, 100 and 200 nM TAp73 siRNA. D. CSC-related Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog proteins were decreased 48 hours after DMAT treatment of UM-SCC-46, while TAp73 siRNA knockdown attenuated this effect. E. UM-SCC-46 cells were labeled with Hoechst 33342 dye and analyzed by flow cytometry 48 hours after transfection with control scrambled siRNA or TAp73 siRNA −/+ DMAT. SP cell number decreased after DMAT treatment, while DMAT showed no significant effect on SP cells after TAp73 knockdown.