In a study done on three pancreatic cancer cell lines it was found that treatment with nicotine resulted in increased proliferation and concomitant OPN gene promoter activation, mRNA expression, and protein secretion; and this occurred via nAChR receptors, as evidenced by the ability of a general nAChR inhibitor, mecamylamine, to abrogate the nicotine-mediated effect [68]. This evidence concerns the gene CHRNA4 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.