Fig. 7: Scheme of the response of PDAC cells following OPTN KD.

OPTN knockdown triggered inhibition of autophagy and caused increased migration and reduced colony formation. PDAC cells tried to reverse autophagy inhibition by activating different pathways; i.e., by ER stress as indicated by activation of the PERK/EIF2-α /ATF4 pathway, by stimulating CMA as manifested by upregulation of LAMP2, and by a low increase in ROS production. Cells which could not reverse the consequences of OPTN knockdown underwent apoptosis