Moreover, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), knockdown of AMPKα by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) rescued cells from metformin-induced apoptosis, which was associated with restoration of the unfolded protein response (UPR)/glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78) function, down-regulation of UPR apoptotic markers inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and interruption of protein synthesis. This evidence concerns the gene ERN1 and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.