TIMP2 and neoplasm: Thus, the inhibitory activity of HSA/TIMP-2 on MMP-2 was 4 orders of magnitude less than that of native TIMP-2 and MMP I. Furthermore, consistent with in vitro results, 2 h after injection of NIRF probe, HSA/TIMP-2-treated MLL-tumor xenografted mice demonstrated no NIRF intensity change, whereas the MMP I-treated group demonstrated NIRF intensity significantly decreased by 21.7% compared with the control group (Fig. 6C; F(1,24) = 5.43, P<0.05, two-way ANOVA), providing further support for the loss-of-function effect of HSA/TIMP-2 on MMP-2 proteolytic activity.