WDR45 and cancer: For example, WIPI2 and WIPI4 mRNAs are significantly differentially expressed in advanced pancreatic cancer, and WIPI-mediated autophagic activity is progressively reduced in precancerous stages during the transformation of pancreatic tumors to adenocarcinoma, suggesting that aberrant expression and altered activity of WIPI genes have important implications in the development of various cancers (13).