Only BAY 1170–82 pretreatment could effectively block OPN-mediated increase in LC3-II expression (Fig. 5d) and the populations of LC3+/ALDH1+ cells and CD44+/CD133+ cells in PANC-1 cells (Fig. 5e), suggesting that OPN activated autophagy via NF-κB to increase pancreatic cancer stemness. This evidence concerns the gene CD44 and pancreatic neoplasm.