Gain- and loss-of-function studies indicated that secretory ITLN1 facilitated the NDRG2 expression, resulting in down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), in NB cell lines SH-SY5Y, SK-N-BE(2), and SK-N-SH. Here, MMP9 is linked to neuroblastoma.