Figure 2.

The Role of unfolded protein response (UPR) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Various stresses including environmental factors, the tumour microenvironment, oncogenesis, high secretory demand and metabolic reprogramming activate the UPR in pancreatic cancer. This results in upregulation of UPR gene targets. Many of these gene promote oncogenic pathways in PDAC cells. UPR activation promotes a pro-tumorigenic pancreatic stellate cell (PSCs) phenotype. Paracrine signalling from PDAC cells and PSCs, as a consequence of UPR activation in PDAC, also promotes tumorigenic behaviours.