CXCL12 and neoplasm: In pancreatic cancer, vitamin A and D are responsible for reprogramming CAFs from a quiescent state into an active pro-tumorigenic state via activation of SMAD signaling or the renin-angiotensin system, increasing the proliferation and metabolism of CAFs [33,34,35] Moreover, activated fibroblasts secrete TGF-β1 and the C-X-C chemokine ligand-12 (CXCL-12; a.k.a. stromal-derived factor (SDF) -1), which both act through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms to initiate and maintain their myofibroblasts phenotype and their tumor-promoting function [36].