ERN1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: To investigate whether ER stress-mediated autophagy by Kazinol C is also induced in cancer cell lines, DU145 prostate cancer and HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were treated with Kazinol C. Consequently, Kazinol C treatment increased UPR signaling based on PERK phosphorylation, elevated protein levels of GRP78/BiP, IRE1α, and sXBP1, and enhanced target gene expression of UPR signaling, including sXBP1 (Figure 3(A,B)).