DDIT3 and hepatocellular carcinoma: [7–9] The occurrence of ER stress can be mediated through different pathways, and it has been shown that apoptosis of HCC cells is induced through the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) pathway and affects the progression of HCC under ER stress conditions.