These assays revealed the GPC1-modulatory effects by EVI1/KRAS/miR-96 were observed more clearly in precancerous HPDE cell lines than in pancreatic cancer cell lines despite comparable GPC1 mRNA levels (Figure 3A, e,g, PK-8 and PK-45H), implying that this axis holds more importance in the earlier stages of the onset of carcinogenesis. This evidence concerns the gene MECOM and familial pancreatic carcinoma.