Radiation therapy is an effective treatment against various types of cancer, but some radiation-resistant cancer cells remain a major therapeutic obstacle; thus, understanding radiation resistance mechanisms is essential for cancer treatment. In this study, we established radiation-resistant colon cancer cell lines and examined the radiation-induced genetic changes associated with radiation resistance. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, collapsin response mediator protein 4 (
CRMP4
) was identified as the candidate gene associated with radiation sensitivity. When cells were exposed to radiation, intracellular Ca
2+
influx, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and cytochrome
c
release into the cytosol were increased, followed by apoptosis induction. Radiation treatment- or Ca
2+
ionophore A23187-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited in
CRMP4
-deficient cells, including radiation-resistant or
CRMP4
-shRNA cell lines. Furthermore, treatment of
CRMP4
-deficient cells with low levels (<5 µM) of BAPTA-AM, a Ca
2+
chelator, resulted in radiation resistance. Conversely, Ca
2+
deficiency induced by a high BAPTA-AM concentration (>10 µM) resulted in higher cell death in the
CRMP4
-depleted cells compared to
CRMP4
-expressing control cells. Our results suggest that
CRMP4
plays an important role in Ca
2+
-mediated cell death pathways under radiation exposure and that CRMP4 may be a therapeutical target for colon cancer treatment.