MMP2 and melanoma: We investigated the expression of transcripts coding MMP-2 and MMP-9 that degrade components of the extracellular matrix [34], VEGF-A that triggers neovascularization [35], TNF-α that contributes to all stages of the malignant process [36], STAT-1 that regulates major cellular events including tumorigenesis [37], MIA that is associated with progression and metastasis of malignant melanoma [38], and the housekeeping gene GAPDH as a control.