Deletion of NAGK increases de novo hexosamine biosynthesis; conversely, glutamine deprivation inhibits de novo HBP but triggers the NAGK-dependent salvage pathway in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (Campbell et al., 2021), suggesting that cross-talk occurs between the salvage and de novo HBP. This evidence concerns the gene NAGK and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.