DKK3 and exocrine pancreatic carcinoma: Moreover, in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1 overexpression of DKK3 did not alter cellular proliferation, while knockdown of DKK3 resulted in significant reduction of cellular proliferation and concomitant induction of pancreatic epithelial cell differentiation markers, indicating that Dkk-3 is required to maintain a highly dedifferentiated and proliferative state in these cells 21.