The microarray findings for MMP1, COL1A1, COL1A2 and CCN2 were independently confirmed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, showing that MMP1 gene expression was significantly up-regulated while COL1A1, COL1A2 and CCN2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in fibroblasts that were co-cultured with tumour cells (Figure 1A). Here, MMP1 is linked to neoplasm.