In a hepatocellular carcinoma model, cancer cells exposed to 6-shogaol showed a time-dependent increase in ER stress-related proteins, including GRP-78/Bip and GRP-94, and the expression of phospho-PERK and phospho-eIF2α showed an increase followed by a decrease, suggesting that 6-shogaol mediates the onset of ER stress. The gene discussed is EIF2AK3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.