Description
During cancer progression, carcinoma cells encounter a variety of cytotoxic stresses such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and low pH as a result of inadequate vascularization. To maintain survival and growth in the face of these physiologic stressors, a set of adaptive response pathways are induced. One adaptive pathway well studied in other contexts is the unfolded protein response (UPR), of which XBP1 is an important component.