To dissect the effects of TLR activation, we treated two of the established pancreatic cancer cell lines (BxPC-3 and MIAPaCa-2) and one primary pancreatic cancer cell line (PaCaDD135) with TLR specific ligands (LTA for TLR2, LPS for TLR4, ODN for TLR9) and a non-specific ligand (HMGB1). This evidence concerns the gene TLR4 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.