Furthermore, exposing mice to a carcinogen (AOM) and pancreatic inflammation (cerulein) resulted in the formation of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), lesions that are considered to be precursors of invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (PDAC), only in the Hpa2-KO pancreas. Here, HPSE2 is linked to inflammatory response.