ATF3 and malignant colon neoplasm: In colon cancers, ATF3 plays a role in regulating genes downstream of protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and PERK-eIF2α signaling during instances of endoplasmic reticulum stress [16]; on the other hand, ATF3 plays an important role in berberine-induced apoptosis [17].